Trusting God and not the Powerball

I have had writer’s block for a long time. I have started countless blogs about different things but they all ended up being something I felt was a waste of time, yours and mine.
But here’s something that is rather current and that I feel rather passionate about.

Why I have chosen to trust God and not Powerball.

It wasn’t more than three and a half years ago I was jobless. I had signed a lease for an apartment with some friends before summer started and I expected by the end of summer I would have a job. Well, June turned into July and before I knew it, it was move in day and there I was, jobless. I had enough money in savings to make it three months before things would get serious. I had recently acquired my CNA and I started applying everywhere. Here’s the problem, I never took the time to pray and tell God I trusted Him and although I know He has a plan for me when things are going right, I seemingly forgot about it and chose to panic instead.  The bible tells me in Proverbs that I can have all of the plans in the world, but it is the Lord’s plan that will prevail (Proverbs 19:21) and I forgot about that. How easy it is to PREACH about the Lord’s plan, but when it comes down to your own future and plans, it is forgotten.

We all are aware of the Powerball and if you’re not, congratulations, good for you! Yesterday it was at $900,000,000 and today it is at $1.3 billion. Everyone was buying Powerball tickets with the hope that THEY would be the one to win the big amount and all of their problems would be solved. Every news article I read yesterday compared winning the Powerball to something unimaginable, like pigs flying or being able to breath under water without gills, yet everyone seemed to buy into the idea that they had a chance.

I’ll admit, for a second, I considered buying a Powerball ticket. How easy it would be to win all of that money and never have to worry about job searching or paying off my husband’s and my student loans. That would be great! It is great to dream but it is not realistic. It is a waste of time and two dollars you will never get back. I ultimately chose not to buy a ticket because I know God has a plan for me and winning the Powerball isn’t it. I chose not to buy a ticket because that saying to God, “Hey, I know you have a plan for me, but I have my own plan, and that is to get filthy stinking rich and not have a care in the world anymore.”

The bible talks a lot about money, and none of it is good or what we want to hear. In Matthew, Jesus tells us to sell all of our possessions and give them to the poor (Matthew 19:21). Luke 12:33 also tells us to sell our possessions and give them to the poor and Hebrews 13:5 nails it on the head with “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” My favorite verse is 1 Timothy 6:10, “for the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Basically, money is evil, and we shouldn’t want it. Do we need it? Yes. Should we covet it? No. We need to trust the plan He has for us and know He will always provide.

When I finally trusted God, I had hardly any money left in the bank. He provided me with a job and a paycheck. I have never once been kicked out of an apartment or home I lived in because of my inability to pay rent and I have always paid my bills on time. That is not because I have my finances in order (trust me, I don’t), it is because I choose to trust in Him and he always provides me with what I need.

I’ll leave you with this:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

I choose to trust in a God who gives me hope, not the Powerball that would only give me more 

problems.

Happy Sunday.