“His . . power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.” 2 Peter 1:3 NIV
“A deficit mentality is knowing what you can’t do, without allowing for what God could do.”
My thoughts today are about “no deficit mentality.”
Most individuals are aware of what they lack, but not appreciative of what they have. That will produce a deficit mentality in your approach to life. You know the drill. Poor me! I don’t have enough; I don’t know enough; I can’t do enough. A deficit mentality is awareness of what you can’t do, without allowing what God could do. No one is truly self-sufficient, possessing everything they want, but as a Christ-follower you can access all you need.
What you have in Christ is a lot, much more than you realize most of the time. The Bible says, “His divine power has given (you) everything (you) need for life and godliness, through (your) knowledge of Him who called (you) by His own glory and goodness . . And by that same and mighty power He has given (you) all His rich and wonderful promises . . so make every effort to apply the benefits of these promises to your life.” 2 Peter 1:3-6 NIV/NLT.
God’s promise is this: you are given everything that you need in order to achieve God’s will and purpose. If ever, and whenever, you place your agenda before His, what you will accomplish is never the same as what you could have done, if working with God’s power. It won’t take much life-experience to exceed your limits, to bring you to the end of yourself. Everything you possess is limited – your time, knowledge, wisdom, ideas, strength, resources, abilities, and the like. Not so with God!
Everything God is, has, and does is limitless. “. . know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled with the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able o do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us.” Ephesians 3:19-20 NIV.
God is described as “unsearchable,” beyond explanation or human comprehension. The Old Testament describes God this way: “Who does great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number.” Read Job 5:9-27 NKJV. In the New Testament, God is described: “”Oh, the depths of the riches of the knowledge of God. How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out . . for from Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen!” Romans 11:33-36 NIV.
Don’t indulge a deficit mentality. You might know all the facts about your situation, but you haven’t considered your possibilities until you include God in the equation. Paul models such a faith, “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulations . . for indeed . . our bodies had no rest. We were troubled on every side. Outside were conflicts; inside were fears. Nevertheless God . .” 2 Corinthians 7:4-6 NKJV. Whatever your situation, or your present evaluation of its realities, do not complete your narrative without sufficient room for divine intervention, “Nevertheless, God . .” Leave plenty of room for God in every situation.
By experience, Paul had learned this transforming truth. “I think you ought to know about the trouble we went through in Asia. We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who raises the dead!” 2 Corinthians 1:8-9 NLT. Ever feel that way? God is the same for you today; God, “Who raises the dead,” miraculously restoring life where hope seems lost, and fate inevitable. The Bible is filled with examples; testimonies are plentiful every day!
My prayer for you today is that you discover the sufficiency of God in everything.