Money is an idol

Unpopular truth about (not having) money…

It can be an idol.

As someone who has a lot of experience with job loss and debt, I know the obsession not having money can have. It ruled our family’s thoughts. I was constantly picking up little jobs. Before I started my hair biz, I had 8 different jobs. Yes, 8. Mind you, this was when I had 2 babies under 2. Making money took over our lives. Priorities? Forget about it. We had to pay the bills. Yet, no matter what we did, we were still short. It was awful. We fought. We prayed. We worked more. And still… broke.

I remember getting asked why we didn’t plan better. Why we didn’t have a savings account… It seemed that everyone couldn’t understand that you use your savings account after the first job loss, but when the second one comes and you haven’t had time to replenish it, well, where’s money supposed to come from?

During that time, God taught me about manna in the desert. How He only gave the Israelites just enough for each day, so they had to keep depending on Him. This is what He taught me in this time.

I remember asking Him what I was missing. What was I not doing that He wanted me to do? Surely I was missing something.

Within 4 days, a job opportunity popped up. But, it was an unpopular opinion and I’d already tried something similar. I prayed and prayed, but finally learned two more money lessons…

1. If nothing changes, nothing changes.

2. I wouldn’t really lose much by trying… just my pride, which should go anyway.

So, I did it. God was right, of course, but it’s not a rags to riches story. It’s not that everything is fixed and our debt is gone and we are rolling in money. God is still using money to break down our idol of self-provision. He is Provider; I am not. But, I had to obey where He called me.

I opened up my check today in front of Tim and all we could say was “wow, God did that. What a blessing that we said yes 4 years ago.”

Has money been a stronghold or idol for you? I realize that most talk about money as an idol when you have too much, but the opposite can be true too.