Our sermon this past week focused on learning to trust God in the midst of trials. There are three attitudes we can typically take: "I was promised a better life that this, so I quit," or "See, I told you so; I'll be skeptical of this whole walking with God thing now," or "I know that he is at work in my trials, so I choose to pursue Jesus."
We often believe that we need Jesus + _________ (fill in the blank.) Our culture tells us that money will solve our problems. Consumerism happens when we act as though something else can give us greater satisfaction than Jesus. We exchange the kingdom of God for the kingdom of thingdom.
The gospel levels the playing field; whether rich or poor, we all need what only Jesus can do for us. Everyone is somewhere on the spectrum from poverty to wealth and needs God's wisdom (perspective) on our state. Trusting God means surrendering when God shows you how unreliable the idols of safety, security, and control through money really are, taking God at his word, and walking by faith.
