I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread – Psalm 37:25
A reality check was presented to Mary during an episode of Netflix’s adaptation of Little House on the Prairie when, while helping at the general store, she discovered that her family had been charging items and were in arrears with their payments. This revelation destroyed Mary’s belief that her family, despite limited means, was financially stable. Visibly upset, Mary’s friend Caleb sought to offer comfort. He assured her parents weren’t trying to hide the truth. That they were instead trying to make certain that she and her sister were taken care of. Caleb also announced that just about everyone in town was in debt to the store.
You will be sufficiently supplied. Don’t worry about your lack. This had been the thought as I pondered future debts, many of which were routine expenditures, yet due to the current economic climate have all increased. The reality of my means in comparison to my needs seemed imbalanced and insufficient. However, I was reminded when Jesus fed multitudes with what wasn’t mathematically possible, like five loaves of bread and two fish. Likewise, Jesus provided payment of “tribute money” from money within a fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:27).
Whether it’s recognizing escalating credit charges used to stay afloat or struggling to manage living expenses with your earnings, I encourage you to trust God’s sufficiency to get you out of debt and provide for your ongoing needs.