Do You Have The Father In Your Life?

Do You Have The Father In Your Life?

From time to time, I would ponder about financial 'retirement' in SG.

In my line of work, I come across people with financial freedom. I come across people with high income or high net worth. I come across people with multiple investments. I read financial investment articles and sharing.

Then I look at myself and wonder, when I think about the future in Singapore.

But I quickly remind myself whenever I read this passage.

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. - Matt 6:31-33

The world lives without the knowledge of the Father. They have to plan their finances tightly as they seek financial freedom.

On the other hand, there are also believers who live as though they have no Father. They are uptight with their finances and regularly plan towards financial freedom.

But we who live WITH the Father must know that He knows we need finances. While the world seeks after all these, God WILL provide for us.

There is a thin line between financial stewardship and trusting the Father. When there is anxiety and control within, it proves that we do not trust the Father and we are living as though the Father is not with us.

When we get uptight about how we should spend our money, how we should invest/save, etc., we have crossed over from financial stewardship to the world's idea of living without the Father.

Anxiety

Anxiety

Anxiety in the Greek means division and distraction.

When we are anxious, our mind is distracted. It becomes divided.

Peter was anxious when he saw the storm while walking on water. His mind was distracted by the storm. He was divided in his focus. As a result, he began to sink.

Martha was anxious when she realised that she was the only one preparing in the kitchen. Her mind was distracted by the fact that Mary wasn't helping. She was divided in her focus. Jesus told her, "Only ONE thing is necessary."

ONE thing means that we must be focused on Him regardless of what we are doing. It keeps our mind away from distraction. It prevents us from being divided.

Isaiah 26:3 says that "You keep him in Shalom Shalom, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You."

A mind that is focused on Him stays on Him. It is not distracted. It is not divided. Only a mind that focuses on this ONE thing receives Shalom Shalom (perfect peace).

Anxiety questions who God is. The mind is distracted and divided about who God is.

The solution to anxiety is TRUST.

Isaiah 26:3 says that in order for us to have our mind stayed and focused on ONE thing ----- Him, we must trust in Him.

All of us deal with trust issues at different junctures in life. Trust issues have their root in our relationship with our parents, which is a type of fathering relationship.

We need to dig deep into who the Father is in the area where we face anxiety, because there is a lack of trust in who He is in that area.

No one can help us develop this trust because it's a personal relationship with the Father.

In order to receive total, perfect completeness in any area, we must trust Him for who He is in that area.

Trust and obey, for there is no other way.