By Rev. Dr. Brent Russett – Asbury Free Methodist
January 7, 2024 -1 Kings 18, Philippian 4:10-19
I like to start each year with a message on generosity. Being generous with our time, talent, and treasure is part of what it means to live out the gospel. It also flies in the face of some of the biggest idols of our culture. Sometimes, those cultural idols can be found buried deep within our hearts. So, it is a good thing to talk about generosity from time to time.
But, as I was thinking about this message, I felt like I was to speak on something that is only tangentially related to generosity. I want to talk about a scarcity mindset. I spoke about this at Asbury in January 2019. But in case you haven’t noticed, the world has changed a little since then.
We survived Covid. Things seem to be getting back to normal. We are getting together with people. We are a little more cautious going out if we have the sniffles. But things seem to be getting back to normal – except when you go to the grocery store.
You spend a $100 and come out with a single bag or groceries. Since I preached that message on scarcity, the internet tells me that inflation has increased in Canada by 15%, but it feels like more than that.
I had a friend tell me that they just renewed their mortgage. It is costing them $400 a month more – just to live in the same house that they were living in last year.
If you listen to the news, what do you hear? The economy is sputtering, inflation is up, and the job market is falling. Almost 60% of Canadians regularly worry about money. In this context, it is easy to fall into a scarcity mindset that says – we don’t have enough or we are not enough.
Falling into this trap will erode your faith, diminish your joy, and weaken your worship.
If you fall too deeply into the scarcity mindset, it becomes a mental illness that we commonly call hoarding. If you have ever seen the television show, you will know what I am talking about.
But I am not talking about a mental illness – what I am talking about is a temptation that comes to us all. We are tempted to complain about what we don’t have, and we forget to give thanks for what we do have. We are tempted to be miserly with what we have been given instead of being open-hearted to those around us. We are tempted to live in fear rather than faith. When we buy into this temptation to make life all about us.
A scarcity mindset has a way of defining who we are — as does having a spirit of generosity. Please understand that we are not just talking about money but also time, talent, and energy – a mindset of scarcity or generosity will be one of the most defining things about us.
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This morning, I want you to think about how you want to be defined and invite you to walk down the road with me towards contentment, peace, and thanksgiving – focusing on the greatness of God. I am asking God to deliver us all from a scarcity mindset.
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Here is what you need to know: what you focus on will go a long way in determining who you become. That is true with most kinds of temptations. It is true when it comes to reaching your goals. This is especially true when it comes to a scarcity mindset. Your focus defines who you are.
I think many of us are tempted to focus on what we don’t have. -that becomes the lense through which we see life and it is the beginning of a scarcity mindset.
But it is so easy to do. It is easy to focus on our lack of time or our lack of energy, our lack of money. It is so easy to focus on what we do not have.
Now please hear me. I am not talking about ignoring reality. You have the amount of money, time and energy you have. Do not hear me say, pretend you have more than you have. I am saying don’t spend time focusing on what you don’t have.
I see this a lot in relationships. Married people can focus on what their spouse is not. If you fall into a scarcity mindset in your marriage – you are headed for a rough ride.
Many single people focus on the lack of a significant other in their lives. And it warps them.
The scarcity mindset can show up in our thoughts about ourselves. We say to ourselves. I am not smart enough, or talented enough, or pretty enough, or popular enough, or I don’t get recognized enough. It causes a poor self-image.
The scarcity mindset can show up in our attitudes towards money. It is easy to focus on the lack of money, especially during those times when there seems to be more month than money.
A scarcity mindset can show up in church. For a church to be all that God has called it to be, it will inevitably have to take steps of faith. If a church focuses on what it doesn’t have – lack of funds, lack of people, lack of – well, you name it – that step of faith will never happen.
The worst thing is that our culture cultivates a scarcity mindset. Most advertisements try to get you to focus on what you don’t have.
I have an iPhone 11. I would really like to get an iPhone 15. The advertisers tell me my phone is so – four years ago – and my life would be so much better with a new phone. Which is a lie. But they try to get us to focus on what we don’t have.
The scarcity mindset – makes us discontent with what we have. It influences how we spend money – it tends to make us unwise in terms of how we live.
Not only that, but focusing on what you don’t have will create problems in your faith and your walk with God.
Here is what I found as I look at what the scarcity mindset does to me.
I have found that a scarcity mindset wars against thanksgiving, in that we tend to focus on what we don’t have, rather than what we do. A lack of thanksgiving in our lives has a way of causing us to miss God’s best. Because there is power in praise. God inhabits the praises of his people. An attitude of gratitude changes how we feel and how we interact with the world.
A scarcity mindset seems to war against faith because when we focus on our needs, it has a way of making the lack of things seem larger and the power of God seem smaller. So, we tend not to take steps of faith.
A scarcity mindset also wars against generosity. It is harder to give our time, our energy, our talent, our money when we are constantly staring at what we don’t have. People with open, generous spirits of time, talent, and resources are the ones who experience the most in life. People with a scarcity mindset get locked in themselves.
A scarcity mindset seems to encourage depression and sadness. It is sad thinking about all that we don’t have.
The mind trap is thinking, “If I had more, I would be more content. I would be more joyful. I would be more at peace.” That is a lie. I have seen people with very little who are full of joy and contentment and people who have much find joy and contentment illusive because they are always striving for just a little bit more.
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It is always dangerous to generalize, but my observation is that younger generations focus on what they don’t have. Older generations focus on what they can’t do. But whether the focus is on the lack of time and money or the lack of energy or health – it is a scarcity mindset.
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You are not alone in your war against a scarcity mindset. Great men and women of God have fallen into this trap. Let me take you to 1 Kings 18.
The prophet Elijah was one of the most powerful prophets in the Old Testament. When we pick up the story, there has been a 3-year drought in the nation of Israel. Having forsaken the worship of the true God, Israel succumbed to paganism, idolatry, and Baal worship. The King, King Ahab, was a bad king, and his wife, Queen Jezebel, was even worse.
As we get to our story in 1 Kings 18, Elijah has been blamed for the famine, — and for the past couple of years, he has been hunted by the king. But God had kept him safe and fed him in a supernatural way.
As we come to our story, Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal in a dramatic showdown. Instructing King Ahab to assemble 450 prophets of Baal and 400 prophets of Asherah on Mount Carmel, Elijah called upon the entire nation to witness the decision between the true God and Baal.
With the stage set, Elijah proposed a test: the deity who sent fire from heaven would be recognized as the true God. The assembly, consisting of 850 prophets and people from across Israel, eagerly awaited the outcome. The prophets of Baal fervently prayed, danced, and shouted throughout the day, but their efforts yielded no divine response.
When evening came, Elijah said, “My turn.” He constructed an altar with 12 stones, arranged the wood, and prepared a sacrificial bull. To emphasize what God could do, he drenched the altar, wood, and sacrifice with water not once but three times. Elijah then called upon the true God. He prayed
1 Kings 18:36–37 (NLT)
37 O Lord, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.”
38 Immediately the fire of the Lord flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! 39 And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The Lord—he is God! Yes, the Lord is God!”
Israel turned back to God that day. A national revival. Later that evening, Elijah prayed, and although it hadn’t rained in three years, the sky opened in torrents.
What a day. What an awesome day. You would think Elijah’s heart would be full – national revival, answered prayer, abundant water.
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(But the story goes on) Now, when Queen Jezebel, who wasn’t there that day, heard what happened. She sent a message saying – I am going to kill you.
1 Kings 19:3–4 (NLT)
3 Elijah was afraid and fled for his life. … He sat down under a solitary broom tree and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life, for I am no better than my ancestors who have already died.”
He wanted to die. He fell asleep, got up and moved to a cave,
1 Kings 19:9–10 (NLT)
9 There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. But the Lord said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
10 Elijah replied, “I have zealously served the Lord God Almighty. But the people of Israel have broken their covenant with you, torn down your altars, and killed every one of your prophets. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me, too.”
Lord, there is a scarcity of faith in the land. There is a scarcity of worship. There is a scarcity of prophets. There is a scarcity of safety.
The focus wasn’t on the national revival that had broken out. The focus wasn’t on the great victory that had been won. The focus wasn’t on the fact that the drought had been broken. The focus wasn’t on the fact that Israel was being restored. The focus wasn’t on how God had sustained him and come through for him. The focus was on what he didn’t have.
So, what did God do with Elijah’s scarcity mindset.
1 Kings 19:11–13 (NLT)
11 “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. 13 When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the entrance of the cave.
And a voice said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”
Basically, God reminded Elijah of his power, and then he spoke to him, and he told him what to do. He reminded him that although he was feeling like he was the only one, there were 7000 people who had not bowed their knees to Baal. Then, God commissioned Elijah again to go serve him.
What you focus on matters, and if you fall into a scarcity mindset, God will try to draw you back with his still, small voice and remind you of His greatness.
When we are in a scarcity mindset, the way back is to focus on the greatness of God. There is no scarcity in him. The all-powerful God does not lack for anything. The way back is to focus on the voice of God because he speaks the truth we need into the situation we are in.
When we sing songs like “How Great is our God” and songs like “He is the King,” We are combating our own scarcity mindset. When we focus on God, it puts our life back in perspective.
When we read his word, it has a way of speaking truth into our lives. Again, the voice of God brings a perspective that wars against scarcity.
When you find yourself moving in a scarcity mindset, it is time to change your focus. Focus on the greatness of God and on the truth of God. Because that is the beginning of moving out of the land of scarcity thinking.
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Let me tell you another story. The Apostle Paul was in a Roman prison. Unlike the Canadian system, if you were in prison, you had to provide for your own food and clothing. The church in Philippi has been supporting Paul, and in fact, one of the things that occasioned the writing of this letter is that the church just sent a big gift to help Paul out while he was in prison.
Philippians 4:10–13 (NIV)
10 I rejoiced greatly in the Lord that at last you renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you were concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 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.
Paul is sitting in prison, without freedom, and yet he does not have a scarcity mindset. It is not that he hasn’t felt like he has had needs. It is not like he hasn’t been in want. In fact, he says, I have been in need, I have been hungry.
A scarcity mindset has very little to do with what you do and don’t have. I know people who make six figures who live in a scarcity mindset. I know others who are relatively poor who don’t.
A scarcity mindset is not about what you have or don’t have, it is about a lack of contentment or living in fear of being in want.
This kind of stance closes you off to life and others. You tend to live without thanksgiving, without faith, and without generosity.
Paul says I have learned to be content.
You can’t be content and have a scarcity mindset at the same time say, I don’t have enough time, money, energy, or resources, to get done what I want to do. That is not contentment.
But he goes on, and he says this, 13, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” That is the opposite of a scarcity mindset. God is going to give me all I need, to do all I need to do. (repeat after me)
The question is, how do we get there? How do we get from focusing on what we don’t have, knowing that I have all I need to do all that I am called to do?
I think Paul lets us in on his secret in the preceding verses.
Philippians 4:4–8 (NIV)
4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.
Rejoice in the Lord Always, and again I will say it, Rejoice. It goes back to the Elijah story, focusing on the greatness of God.
Know that the Lord is near. In Christ is all you need. And when you know he is near, you will know that you will have what you need.
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
When you find yourself being anxious, you know the scarcity mindset is at your door. But notice anxiety can be a trigger to pray. Pray about everything.
Commit your day to the Lord in prayer. Those things that you are concerned about, and those things that are routine. Cover your life with prayer.
Ask God for the things you need. That is petition. Thank God for the things you have. That is thanksgiving.
Prayer, petition, and thanksgiving are the foundation of a life well lived. He says if you do these things, the peace of God that transcends understanding. In other words, you will have peace in times when peace wouldn’t be natural.
Then he goes on to say, watch what you let your mind dwell on.
8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.
What you focus on matters.
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We live in a time when our culture conspires to send us into a scarcity mindset. Most people don’t have the disposable income they had a decade ago. The demands of work, of life fill up our schedule. Life’s challenges have a way of zapping us of energy. All these things lead us down the road to a scarcity mindset.
If you are a senior, your temptation is to focus on what you can’t do anymore. Your temptation is to focus on bad health, lack of mobility, or the lack of energy, or the challenges of making friends. These things can lead to a scarcity mindset.
But this week, this year, I am inviting you to travel a different road with me. A road travelled by Paul, who had learned contentment. A road travelled by Elijah, who learned to focus on the greatness of God. A road mapped out by God himself – A road marked by faith and trust. Will you make the journey with me?
Sermon Questions
Introduction
1. What was the best thing that happened to you over the holidays?
2. What are you praying about this week?
Digging in
3. A scarcity mindset focuses on what we don’t have rather than what we do have. Do you believe that “what you focus on will go a long way in determining who you become?”
4. What are some of the “don’t haves” that people tend to focus on? What are some of the “don’t haves” that you are tempted to focus on?
5. How does advertising drive a scarcity mindset? How much do you think you are affected by advertising?
6. Recall the story of Elijah and the prophets of Baal found in 1 Kings 18:19-38. What was the outcome of fire falling from heaven (vs 38)?
7. Read 1 Kings 19:3-14. Where was Elijah’s focus? How does God deal with Elijah?
8. Read Philippians 4:10-13. Where is Paul’s focus? What has he learned?
9. Walk through Philippians 4:4-8 verse by verse. How does each verse teach us to resist a scarcity mindset? How can we use these verses to resist the temptation towards a scarcity mindset?
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