Recession Proof Your Faith
Posted: Friday, March 13, 2009
by David Sillaman
"Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the LORD has decreed a famine in the land that will last seven years." (2 Kings 8:1) The idea of having to recession proof your faith seems rather foolish, almost anti-faithful in nature. However, in an economic freefall as we are experiencing globally, it is important to not let your faith in God fall with unemployment and the dollar. More and more people are loosing faith because of fear. We are experiencing an economic famine like that of the famine that besieged Samaria. (2 Kings 6:24) Each day new pressures build on top of faith, making it easier to turn away from God for help. Fear and a lack of God responding to our needs on our time line easily prompts doubt in God, this is why learning to recession proof your faith is so important.
Elisha knew this to be true as well for the Shunammite woman and her family. She was going to a little extra something to keep her going. I can't help but wonder if God is simply waiting on us to recognize this revelation. We are quick to thank God and recognize God when times are good for us. We are even quicker to dismiss God when times are bad, and lets face ittimes are bad right now. I heard a report just today talking about how the believe in God has dropped over the last decade. I also read about an investigative report on Bloomberg making light of an email that talked about Proverbs 13:11 and how important it was for the employees of this particular investment company to work harder at cheating its customers. This is a sign of the times we are living in. Even God's words are being twisted and distorted for the purpose of gaining riches and cheating people. As a result we are now in a recession.
I find it of absolute importance to ask God for a second set of his armor to wear. Think of it like double locking your safe. So how exactly do you recession proof your faith? I have found several techniques and steps you can take to help in recession proofing your faith. Here are three steps you can take to strengthen your relationship with God, put on a second layer of his armor, and recession proof your faith in the process.
Step one, spend more family time together. This first step is almost a given considering spending is way down across the country. However, it's not so much "just" spending time together but rather "how" you spend your time together. Spending time watching doom and gloom on the television just spreads doom and gloom on your couch. I want to encourage you to spend your family time together reading the bible and discussing his word. Encourage one another in practicing of prayer. Teach your family and grow with your family spiritually. Elisha didn't just tell the Shunammite woman to go away, but he told her to go away with her family. Take refuge in knowing God wants to protect your entire family.
The second step is to start a daily blessings notebook. Recognizing God's blessings on a daily basis will help during those times when it seems like he has abandoned you. Elisha told the Shunammite woman exactly how long God had decreed a famine in the landseven years. Why do you think Elisha told the woman and her family this? Because he knew, how discouraging it can be when you can't see God in largeness for an extended period of time. There is no sign of our recession letting up. If anything, all signs point to the recession getting worse. Keeping a daily journal will help you recognize the small blessings God gives to you on a daily basis. Being thankful to God, for small blessings like food, water, shelter, and family strengthens the foundation of your relationship with God by changing your perspective of God. How you perceive something determines how you receive that something. By learning to be thankful on a daily basis you will be better prepared to see the attacks on your faith during these tough times.
The third and final step involves respect and honor. The Shunammite woman respected the word of God thru Elisha. She honored Him by obeying what the man of God Elisha said. Don't think for one minute this honoring of God wasn't difficult for the Shunammite woman and her family, because they gave up everything they knew and everything they had in respect. So this step is naturally going to be the toughest step you can take in recession proofing your relationship with God. Keeping in mind that God doesn't require us to understand why things are the way they are. Giving honor and respect to God is incredibly difficult, and God knows it. He asks us for it unconditionally, but he knows how difficult these times are for you personally, for your family and how difficult it will be for your faith in him. Can I tell you that when the time comes God will restore you! God not only restored the Shunammite's land but also lost wages for the seven period that she and her family honored Him. God will give everything back to you.
Unemployment is the highest it has been in decades. Everyday you are challenged with more bad news regarding our economy. You have to give up more of the things and lifestyle you have grown accustomed to, just to make it. I want to encourage you when you are making a list of what to give up and what to keep, I pray that faith in a loving and just God is on the list of things to keep. God is not punishing you, but rather protecting you. All you have to do is keep the faith strong!
David Sillaman
This Article has been viewed 795 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (3 total)I do not see how Recession can affect peoples beliefs, because if it does you need to ask yourself if there is any point having your faith. Faith requires commitment
I couldn't agree with you more, however, when times are tough for people, faith is tested. Questions arise about God's love for his people, especially when they are suffering. It is unfortunate their are people who called themselves Christians, yet their foundation is built in the sand not on the rocks. This article is specifically targeted to that set of Christians.
Hi David, welcome to searchwarp. This is a very encouraging article for Christians, even non christians who are faced with uncertainty. You gave great biblical advice. I love the idea of two sets of armor! Well done. Blessings to you! Teresa
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.