Post
by _Steve » Fri Jun 20, 2008 1:59 am
I don't have any wisdom to contribute here that has not been said by others already, but I guess I have to take responsibility for the things I teach, and the impact those things have on the lives of others, so I will repeat, in my own way, some important points, suggested by others, but which I would have written if I had discovered this thread sooner.
I do not think everyone needs to do what I am convicted to do, in terms of living a life of trusting God. Each person must act according to the faith that they have, or that they wish to stretch themselves to have. Every Christian should expect his faith to undergo testing. Such testing usually occurs when it seems that God has not lived up to some promise He has made, and His trustworthiness is thus called into question.
In my own life, I have been convicted to trust God about building a family and providing for their sustenance. Of course, I have always also agreed with Paul that having food and raiment, we will with these things be content. Trusting God for things like finances and family size does not work out very well without also being content with, and resigned to, the circumstances that God chooses for us.
I do not have a mortgage. When I moved here to Santa Cruz, I and my three teenaged children moved into a cheap, two-bedroom, one bath, apartment. I now have only two of my children living with me, but we are in the same apartment. I could afford better lodgings, if I did not have the commitments that I have concerning giving away a certain percentage of all my income. However, we are content in this apartment, and I might live here the rest of my life (though I would not mind if the Lord would provide us another house, as He did formerly).
As now, I had no guaranteed income when any of my five children were born, and we lived very much at poverty level when they were young. However, since I value children more than other earthly things, I always have considered myself to be child-rich. It never occurred to us that we were poor, or that it would be nice to have fewer children, so as to free up more money for other things. This was because of our conviction that God values children above other possessions.
I have always assumed that those who follow my teaching about attitudes toward children would be following my teaching on other lifestyle-and-faith issues, so that they would be as happy as I am, whether abased or abounding. Many couples who now have large families because of that message, have seemed to feel as I do about sacrificing comforts and luxuries for the sake of welcoming children into their homes.
If this young couple could move in with parents, or another family until the husband is promoted to the position that will pay enough for them to live independently, they might be able to rent out their house for the amount of the mortgage payment, for a while, and then move back into it when they can afford to pay the mortgage themselves. I do not wish to impose hardship upon them, but they should remember that may young couples go through financially stressful times in the early years, only to find their circumstances eventually improve. If they are faithful in the little that they have, God may entrust them with more in the future.
In any case, I am sorry to hear that their faith is being stretched almost to the breaking point. That is never easy. However, if they choose to be content with God's choices for them, I do not believe they will ever find themselves homeless of starving. I hope they will persevere.
Last edited by
Guest on Wed Dec 31, 1969 7:00 pm, edited 0 times in total.
Reason: In Jesus,
Steve
