Being Broke Hurts the Spirit

Prosperity covers more than just money. It is about nothing being missing or broken in life. There have been times when my family has been truly prosperous even though we live in a small cabin in the woods and drive well-loved cars.

These last few months have not been so prosperous. The troubles are strongest because of the holiday season and the feeling that we could not do all that we wanted to do. The irony for us is that we do not do that much this time of year anyway. But it is the thought that counts.

Being broke is not about having no money in the bank account. It is about not having any hope that you will have money in the account. I am as close to broke as I have been in a long, long time. But I refuse to give up hope without a fight.

My Father owns the cattle on the thousand hills. He created the world and all that is in it. He knows my needs before I speak them. That alone should be enough to give me hope. But there are friends and family that love and support me, who pray over my life every day.

Maybe it feels like I am not that prosperous, but I have to admit that after a short inventory I am more prosperous than I realized when I rolled out of bed this morning!

Things get tough. It is the nature of things. Surviving the tough times is not about avoiding them but about seeing beyond them. Sometimes that means closing your eyes to the reality and focusing on the promise. I think about that scene from “Facing the Giants” where the player is blindfolded and told to carry his team mate to the 50 yard line. We can do so much more when we do not let “reality” crowd out possibility.

Surviving may mean changing direction. There was one time when we were driving home from Pensacola to Gulf Shores along the back roads. The road we were on was directed to our condo. We could SEE our condo. But the road ended in a bay between us and the condo. Changing directions was the only option.

There are times when you have to do things that you have never done before. Having children means getting up when you do not want to because you are responsible for that being. Having a spouse means doing the laundry differently because it brings peace to the house. Working with others means accepting different opinions and personalities even if you KNOW the right way to do things.

Being broke may crush the spirit, but the Spirit of Hope can trump the symptoms of broke every time. If you are struggling right now then my prayer for you is that you will see the things in your life where you are prosperous and cling to those. As hope begins to rise in your heart you will see the path open up that will allow you to manage or even overcome any problem that gets in your way.