There once was a master who was going on a journey. He needed his servants to take care of his wealth for him while he was gone. To one servant he gave five bags of gold. To another servant two bags and to a third servant one bag. When he returned the first two servants had invested wisely with what they had and they doubled what had been given to them. Alas, the last servant decided to bury his one bag of gold and did not do anything with what he had. The master praised the first two servants for they were wise with what had been given to them. The last servant however was punished, and what he had, was taken away because he did not utilize what had been given to him. (This is a summary of a parable from Matthew 25)
The most interesting part of this story is that each man was given a different amount but each one had the same two choices: to use what had been given to them no matter the amount, or sit and do nothing and waste what had been given to them.
I was listening to a podcast the other day from a woman who had grown up in the mission field and had settled down in America after getting married. She said she used to feel guilty for living such a blessed life in America when there was so much suffering in the world. She said the Lord had been working on her heart with these feelings and she came to the conclusion that we do the best with what we have been given no matter how much we have or don’t have.
We all have our own struggles our own stories and backgrounds. We come from different walks of life and different financial situations. No matter where you live in the world or how rich or poor, you do the best with what you have. God is wanting you to be a good steward of what He has given you. He may have blessed you with five bags of gold and He expects you to use that to further His Kingdom. He may have blessed you with two bags of gold and likewise, He expects you to use it for His Kingdom. He may have blessed you with only one bag of gold but if you use it for His Kingdom, then He will bless you just like the other two servants in the parable were blessed! Stop thinking that because you have less that God cannot use you! Stop hiding what God has given you and start using it even if it is small! The master blessed the first two servants with more because He knew He could trust them with what he had already given them. Likewise, if you use what God has given you now, albeit big or small, He will bless you with more later!
God has really been working on my heart with this topic. I have often wrestled with guilt for what I do have and then on the opposite side, I have wrestled with wanting more. I have come to the conclusion much like the missionary, that the wrestling must stop and I need to focus on what I have been blessed with right now. We can wish all day for what we don’t have, but why not focus on what we do have and do the best with what God has given us in this season of life! We need to stop comparing and start dwelling on our blessings! Be thankful and go on a mission to be the best we can be with what we have been given and serve His Kingdom! Then see what blessings He will pour out on you and one day you can hear well done my good and faithful servant. (Matthew 25:21)
*I feel like in writing this I must be clear that I am in no way not encouraging you to set goals for yourself and achieve success. In fact, if you follow the example of the first two servants they did achieve success! How did they do it? Well they had to focus and use the resources that they already had! I truly believe God wants you to live an abundant life and it all starts with utilizing the talents and blessings he has already given you!