
Being in debt is kinda an American thing. We really, really do debt well. By that I mean we are really good at being in debt, and it being something we all just accept is part of the life and times of these United States. It is for sure something that we are accustomed to, most specifically when it comes to our finances.
I am wondering though, if our acceptance of debt being the norm is affecting how we use all our resources? If we are okay with spending our money past what we have and can manage, could that explain why we are so willing to do that with all the other things we have at our disposal? Besides finances, we can find ourselves levying credit on our time, our energies, our mental peace and our relationships.
We can be giving our time away like we do our money, expecting that it will all come out in the wash eventually and some way, some how we will pay for it later. How often do we pour emotional energy to the point that we are giving beyond what we have, or what we need for other things? How often do we use our physical energies past what we actually have, for the sake for a busy schedule or other things?
Unlike our finances, there is no reserve place to draw from for the rest of our resources. There is no bank of physical, mental or emotional energy. We can't take out a loan on those resources, we just find ourselves grossly out of resources and overdrawing our account to the point of hurt. What results is a resource debt that leaves us exhausted, weary, emotionally drained, physically weak and spiritually bankrupt. We are overwhelmed, frustrated and left feeling like we have gained nothing.
Like our finances, if we want to get out of that debt we have to learn to put limits on what we spend our resources on. We have to make a budget, so to speak, and to be protective of the resources we have so that we don't give past what we actually have in our possession. We have to constantly consider what resources we have.
Here are some things about resources we have to remember:
Resources are limited. No, believe it or not you don't have an unlimited supply of all of our resources. We have what we need, of course, because that is God's promise for us. We have what we need it for, but it is not unlimited.
Resources are dynamic. Some days you are differently equipped. Some days you have more of any of your energies than other days. Some days your hormones suck your physical or emotional energies dry. Some days your body is non-compliant. Some times our resources shift in a matter of moments.
Resources are renewable. Many of our resources can be renewed, to some degree. But, just like a car has to stop to refuel you sometimes have to stop and be still to regain those resources. There are times that you have to rest a body, quiet a heart, renew a spirit or recharge a mind before it returns to right.
God has given us everything we need. He hasn't given us unlimited supply for our own sakes, we need to constantly look to him for our supply and for direction on how to use what he provides. We can't simply live in a way that does not recognize the limitations of our humanness. We are fully equipped for the things God has given us to do, but if we are using up those resources on other things we will find we have used up those resources and are debt to the detriment of our good work.
What does your resource debt look like? How do you know you are out of resources and needing to re-alot them or take the time to renew them? How do you renew your resources? ...these are questions worth asking, and sharing!
I am wondering though, if our acceptance of debt being the norm is affecting how we use all our resources? If we are okay with spending our money past what we have and can manage, could that explain why we are so willing to do that with all the other things we have at our disposal? Besides finances, we can find ourselves levying credit on our time, our energies, our mental peace and our relationships.
We can be giving our time away like we do our money, expecting that it will all come out in the wash eventually and some way, some how we will pay for it later. How often do we pour emotional energy to the point that we are giving beyond what we have, or what we need for other things? How often do we use our physical energies past what we actually have, for the sake for a busy schedule or other things?
Unlike our finances, there is no reserve place to draw from for the rest of our resources. There is no bank of physical, mental or emotional energy. We can't take out a loan on those resources, we just find ourselves grossly out of resources and overdrawing our account to the point of hurt. What results is a resource debt that leaves us exhausted, weary, emotionally drained, physically weak and spiritually bankrupt. We are overwhelmed, frustrated and left feeling like we have gained nothing.
Like our finances, if we want to get out of that debt we have to learn to put limits on what we spend our resources on. We have to make a budget, so to speak, and to be protective of the resources we have so that we don't give past what we actually have in our possession. We have to constantly consider what resources we have.
Here are some things about resources we have to remember:
Resources are limited. No, believe it or not you don't have an unlimited supply of all of our resources. We have what we need, of course, because that is God's promise for us. We have what we need it for, but it is not unlimited.
Resources are dynamic. Some days you are differently equipped. Some days you have more of any of your energies than other days. Some days your hormones suck your physical or emotional energies dry. Some days your body is non-compliant. Some times our resources shift in a matter of moments.
Resources are renewable. Many of our resources can be renewed, to some degree. But, just like a car has to stop to refuel you sometimes have to stop and be still to regain those resources. There are times that you have to rest a body, quiet a heart, renew a spirit or recharge a mind before it returns to right.
God has given us everything we need. He hasn't given us unlimited supply for our own sakes, we need to constantly look to him for our supply and for direction on how to use what he provides. We can't simply live in a way that does not recognize the limitations of our humanness. We are fully equipped for the things God has given us to do, but if we are using up those resources on other things we will find we have used up those resources and are debt to the detriment of our good work.
What does your resource debt look like? How do you know you are out of resources and needing to re-alot them or take the time to renew them? How do you renew your resources? ...these are questions worth asking, and sharing!