Scarcity and Abundance Are Both Testings of the Heart

God uses both scarcity and abundance to show us what is in our hearts. Scarcity and abundance are opposites, but they serve the same purpose.

Scarcity

1.) Scarcity humbles us. And through humility, God shows us what is in our hearts. We all react to scarcity differently. We either react by obeying God more (and that we will do if God grants us a heart after him). Or, we react by grumbling and rebelling against God. Either way, scarcity causes us to express what is already in our hearts.

And you shall remember the whole way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not. (Deuteronomy 8:2)

2.) Scarcity teaches his saints to depend on God.

And he humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna, which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that he might make you know that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.  (Deuteronomy 8:3)

3.) Scarcity is for our good.

... the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. (Deuteronomy 8:14-15)

4.) Scarcity tests our faith.

Joseph was a man like us. Except that he was told by God that one day -- the sun, the moon, and the stars, that is, his family, would all bow down to him. He was an obedient son. In fact, he was so obedient, that his brothers, out of jealousy, sold him as a slave at the age of eighteen. For the next twelve years, Joseph continued obeying God -- which in turn brought more suffering and scarcity.

Why did God do that? Was God sadistic? In the end, God lifted up Joseph and made him ruler of Egypt -- second only to Pharaoh. Why did God cause Joseph to suffer for so many years?

God tested Joseph to see if Joseph would continue to obey even though obedience caused more pain, suffering, and scarcity. And, ultimately, to show the universe that Joseph would trust God's promises.

When he summoned a famine on the land and broke all supply of bread, he had sent a man ahead of them, Joseph, who was sold as a slave. His feet were hurt with fetters; his neck was put in a collar of iron; until what he had said came to pass, the word of the LORD tested him. (Psalm 105:16-19)

5.) Scarcity is an opportunity to sin.

Jesus, in his hunger, was tempted by the devil to make bread out of stones. Satan did not tempt him until he was very hungry. How we react to temptation, in scarcity, shows us what is in our hearts.

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread." But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" (Matthew 4:1-4)

Abundance

1.) Just as scarcity naturally humbles us, so abundance naturally gives us a big head. Just as we can react to scarcity by trusting and obeying God, or by grumbling and rebelling against God, so we can react to abundance by remembering and obeying God, or by forgetting and rebelling against God.

Take care lest you forget the LORD your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God... (Deuteronomy 8:11-14)

2.) Abundance teaches us to depend on God by remembering God.

When we swoosh a basketball from the three point line, we all assume we are the ones who made the shot. When we work 80 hours a week at a job, and get a promotion, we all assume we are the ones who put in the hard work and gained what we deserved. Not so. Abundance is an opportunity to remember God who gives us everything.

Beware lest you say in your heart, "My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth." You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.  (Deuteronomy 8:17-18)

3.) Abundance is for our good.

Enjoy the abundance God has given us. It is for our good. Bless his name for it. If we cannot enjoy God's good gifts (and some have a weird twisted view that does not allow them to enjoy anything), then something is very wrong with us. We have an unhealthy worship of poverty.

For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. (Deuteronomy 8:7-10)

4.) Abundance tests our faith.

Jesus asked a rich young ruler to sell everything and follow him. Jesus was showing the rich man whether his faith was in God or in money. Abundance is an opportunity for us to show who we follow -- God or money?

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. (Luke 18:22-23)

5.) Abundance is an opportunity to sin.

David had many tough years living as a fugitive and lacking much. People wanted to kill him left and right. Then, his kingdom was secured and he lived luxuriously. He no longer had to go and fight wars. Others did that for him now.

In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab, and his servants with him, and all Israel. And they ravaged the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem. It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king's house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful. And David sent and inquired about the woman. And one said, "Is not this Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?" So David sent messengers and took her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (2 Samuel 11:1-14)

Beware of the abundant years. Run away from sin then as much as you ran away from sin during the lean years. Even David, a man after God's own heart, was led away to commit adultery and murder. How much more so for us -- who will never write a Psalm or slay Goliath? Be on guard. Remember that the Holy Spirit dwells in us. Let us guard our eyes and hearts.
 
Not Scarcity or Abundance

I pray this prayer often. I pray this because I don't trust myself, and therefore, I want to avoid either extreme wealth or poverty.

Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.  (Proverbs 30:7-9)

But the truth is, whoever God makes me, whether it is extremely wealthy, or extremely poor, or somewhere in between -- he will grant me the strength to do his will. He will grant me the grace I need for the situation he puts me in.

We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. (2 Coninthians 8:1-2)

So fret not. He will provide -- mainly, himself.

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:12-13)