The title for this post is:

SUS

Because how is losing possessions connected to abundance?!?

Roll with me here! We’ll see how this goes.

God, The maker of Heaven and Earth created everything when there was nothing material. He created out of his words & power packed presence. See Genesis.

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. ² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. – Genesis 1: 1-2

Now, by no means have I lost all of “my” possessions, but I have given up quite a bit.

I gave up a career. I gave up a home. I gave up a car.

Parting ways with these things came with grief and relief! Cause memories and like what now?!? I poured my time into those things – they kept my life together!!! What do I have to show for that now!?! Oh, the pain!

All choices that I have made that if five years ago – you would’ve asked me “Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?” – it would:

Not Have Been Without Those Possessions

Thankfully, I did not give up all of these things at once, but over a span of years.

Did you notice how I didn’t say MY career – MY home – MY car?

That was intentional because I own nothing. Those possessions were never holding me up – they were tools/resources that God used to care for me. He can’t switch up and do something new? Do we want stale supply or the fresh wind that we sing out about in church?!?

I’ll take the latter, even if letting go of the old has me feeling splattered!

We sing songs like ” You can have it all” – but when God actions that we no longer stand tall and are rolled up in a ball! Have we forgotten that God’s presence is everything!?! I’m not saying to not feel the waves of emotions – we are humans, not bots. I’ve snotted and sobbed so much that my eyes were poofy! You think God was caught off guard about me grieving my “losses” – no. But he also didn’t shift and stood on “I’m the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords” business.

If we aren’t willing to give things up as needed for God to move how he needs to move for the expansion of his kingdom, perhaps we should keep our hands down in worship and stop acting like we are surrendered when we are not.

I barely own this fleshly body I’m in – I steward it. This body does all kinds of ish that has me giving it the side eye. I’m thankful for it, do my best and am working to do better at maintaining it – but it will do what it will do based on it’s design and as I shift my inputs. My spirit and soul is contained within this shell. They remain in tact no matter what goes on with my body – they cannot be taken and I aint sellin ish on the dark spiritual market! The same goes for possessions – they will do what they do – show up, break down, and dip out. Possessions are just an output. I use them to my benefit and to serve others, but I can’t control my possessions.

Possessions Are Not Me

That is something for us to be thankful for! Many lose their very minds because their identity and value is wrapped up in the material. Losing possessions or having to detach from material things that you have stewarded for various lengths of times is difficult, but releasing them can be so much easier when we don’t see them as:

Belonging To Us

What if we saw everything as temporary tools that we have at our disposal?

I’m reminded of this verse where Paul says:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. ¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4: 12-13

If you and I were to lose all of our possessions I would encourage us to:

Cling To Jesus

I would remind us that we came with nothing and we leave with nothing, but our spirit and soul! Yea yea I know it sounds like “Puhlease, I gotta live right now in this physical world!!!”. Believe me I get it and to that I would say know that the same God that created everything from nothing is the same God that can get you everything you need – when you need it – out of your present day nothing.

For example, I do not have a car. I have been biking around my city to go to my fave spots – Dollar Tree, Aldi, Indoor Playground, Library, and to the Boxing Gym. A woman at my boxing gym saw me biking around one of the plazas and offered to give me and my three children a ride. Mind you – she already has 3 children. She has a large vehicle and lives 4 minutes away from me. Do you see how in me not having I car – I have a car for when I need it and for those in my crew? That is not me – that is God’s provision! Riding with this family has made for beautiful connection! Her kids are around the age of my kids!

Do you trust God to provide you with what you need?

I would much rather have less and get what I need when I need it – than have to stress about ongoing maintenance. Keep me as a responsible adult that knows a child’s place.

See if you go back and read the Old Testament you will see that God has always wanted to provide for his people! He has wanted to be the one stop shop! Yet, we are like – naw, imma do it on my own and take care of myself – when we don’t even know what we’re doing. Remember, when the Israelites were in the wilderness and God provided for them through manna and had them just getting what they needed for the day – no stockpiling. Why? Because he wanted them to be:

Fully God Dependent

If you and I have years of plenty and suddenly have a life of empty! Know that God is the master of filling voids with his presence!

Do Not Worry

Lost your possessions or concerned about losing something of significance?!? Take a moment to meditate on Matthew 6: 25-34.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life^[e]?

²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. – Matthew 6: 25-34

Tell your heavenly father what you need – thank him for what you have and be honest about your frustrations (don’t sugarcoat!). Live expecting him to move creatively in your life! As my youngest son once said:

Prepare To Be Amazed!

Share in the comments how you have persevered through possessions being stripped away.

Stay Open & Expectant,