What if I told you a little more might be detrimental to your well-being?

I’m talking about something I’ve witnessed time and again as a pastor.

People far from God are drawn to him.  The process is always the same. They start attending church regularly.  They grow. Things start falling into place. Sometimes so much so that they begin to prosper.

Then it happens.  They fall away. Most pastors will agree.  It happens all the time.

It reminds me of one of my favorite prayers in the bible.

We don’t know much about the person praying, other than that his name is Agur.

You can read his prayer here Proverbs 30:7-9. 

Agur was wise.  Throughout his life he came to realize that abundance and scarcity can both be a curse.

His solution?  Ask God to give us just enough to subside.  Not so much that we lose our need for him and not so little that we behave like wild animals.

The question is, how much is enough?  It varies from individual to individual.

Between the extremes of fear and comfort, lives faith.

So where do you fall on the scale right now?

Maybe you’ve convinced yourself that you don’t have time for God because you have to make a living.

If that’s the case, you’re mistaken.  Everyone needs the Lord and he would never put you in a position where you didn’t have time for him anymore.  

Or…

Maybe you’ve reached the point that you feel like you don’t need him anymore because things are going so well.

I’ll never forget the illustration and older pastor once shared with me.  Imagine a glass bottle. Now imagine a pile of rocks, sand, pebbles. If you want to fit all of these things in the bottle, you have to strategize.  

You begin by putting the biggest rocks in the bottle, followed by the pebbles and then the sand.

The point of the illustration is this- by the way, if you’re planning on traveling this summer, the same thing applies to loading your car- focus on your biggest priorities each week, followed by the lesser ones and the smallest ones.

Worship is, without a doubt, the major priority of the week.  Yes, summer included. In fact, it is the most productive season of your spiritual growth.

Not only is it a major priority to connect with God, one of our biggest priorities is to connect with other believers throughout the week.

Finally, we should connect with those who are outside the circle of faith.

What are some other priorities?  Work, obviously as well as family.  

On a personal level, what are some of your other priorities?  Are you filling the bottle with them each week or leaving them out.  If you’re like most people, chances are you’re having a hard time fitting everything in each week.

If you’re going to go the distance and finish your race well, your relationship with God should be at the top of your list.  

Next, you want to finish well with others by your side.

So, how are those two relationships right now.  Are you close to God? Are your relationships thriving?

Those are simple questions, but good questions to examine your current trajectory.

Notice how Agur reminds us how powerful the pull of material things can be.

We’re often willing to beg, borrow, or steal to get what we think we need to be happy.

In reality, we can have everything in the world and still be miserable if we’re dissatisfied with God or our current position.

Mark my words, wealth is a moving target.  If you make 50,000 a year, you’ll want to make 100,00.  And when you make 100,000, you’ll want to make 200,000.

In the words of P.T Barnum, the happy man is the one who makes 20.00 a year and only spends 19.00.

But more than what you make and what you spend, if you’re not trusting God, than your missing out.

Peace doesn’t come from money, or fame, or good health.  Though there is no denying the importance of those things, peace comes from God Galatians 5:19.

If you’re suffering right now, be encouraged.  God is near. Don’t believe the lie that you need a little more before you can enjoy God.  Enjoy him now. He can meet your every need Phillipians 4:19.

In fact, if you’re in a season of suffering, you’re in a good place according to Agur.  Now is the perfect time to experience God as your Creator and Comforter.

Please hear me now.  I’m happy for the people who have come to faith and moved on.  But I’m sad for them as well. The walk of faith isn’t something we abandon when we feel like we’ve mastered it.  It’s a lifelong journey!

When we reach the point where we think we don’t need God anymore because we’re all set or we don’t have time, we’ve erred and there will be consequences.

At the same time, we all have the opportunity to remain in the sweet spot between fear and comfort…the place of faith.