Day 1: Recognizing a Scarcity Mindset

Begin

Quiet your heart and ask God to take all your worries and distractions, trusting him to teach and encourage you through his Word. Ask him to open your eyes to the lessons he has for you today!

Read: Matthew 6:25–34

Reflect

As our Creator, God understands our needs like no other. From the moment we’re born, we need food, shelter, and clothing. We need love and healthy attachment. We need work and responsibility and hope for the future. We need companionship and family and community. We need meaning.

That’s a lot of needs, and you can easily think of more. And when we think about all we don’t yet have, it’s easy to let our minds fall into patterns shaped by scarcity and end up grasping too tightly to what we’ve already been given.

In his Sermon on the Mount, Jesus calls attention to our shared needs, but he doesn’t let us dwell in a scarcity mindset. Instead, he encourages us to lift our eyes beyond our needs and look to a trustworthy and unchanging God who promises to provide (James 1:17).

Jesus points to clear evidence of God’s care of all things, telling us to notice how he has provided for the birds and the flowers we so often pass by without a second thought. He also challenges us to consider how much more God loves us, the people he came to redeem (1 Peter 1:18–19).

A scarcity mindset reveals a life controlled by worry. We worry we won’t have enough, so we hoard the gifts God has given, obsess about what we need tomorrow, and chase after the things of this world.

Jesus doesn’t mince words. He tells us that this mindset reveals a lack of faith in God (Matthew 6:30). Instead of worrying about what we don’t have, our focus must be on God’s kingdom above all else. Our loving heavenly Father—who knows exactly what we need—will always provide for us. A life, a mindset, rooted in God’s love and generosity will ground us in faith and free us from worrying about tomorrow.

If you’re noticing a scarcity mindset in your own life, you aren’t alone. But God knows your heart and understands your worries. When you wonder who will provide for you, he promises to give you everything you need. And as we’ll see tomorrow, God’s promises are a solid foundation for us as we grow in reflecting his generosity in our lives!

Consider

• Where do I see a scarcity mindset in my own life? What gifts have I been afraid or unwilling to share?
• Where have I seen God provide over the past year? How could dwelling on his care help me combat a scarcity mindset?

Meditate

Spend a few moments reading and considering how this Scripture relates to the other truths you encountered today. What connections can you make?

“My God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:19 GNT