As we examine the connection between your purpose and your finances, let's look at the time in Abraham's life when he had to take his family to live in Egypt:
At that time a severe famine struck the land of Canaan, forcing Abram to go down to Egypt, where he lived as a foreigner (Genesis 12:10).
It's interesting that God had given Abraham the land where he was living, but at some point, Abraham had to leave there due to circumstances beyond his control. There was a famine so he saw no other option but to relocate. (Egypt, of course, had food because they had a river with abundant water, so they could always water their crops.)
While Abraham was in Egypt, he lied when he introduced his wife to the local authorities. He didn't tell a total lie, for she was his half-sister; he simply left out the part about her being his wife. It seems that in this instance God used finances to motivate Abraham to move to a place where God could reveal and confront a flaw in Abraham's thinking. He felt he had to lie about Sarah to protect her because God was incapable of doing so.
Of course, when I say finances in Abraham's case, it was simply a matter of food that caused him to move on (no money was involved), but I hope you get the connection. The learning point in this story is that God will use your finances, or lack thereof, to direct you or to address issues in your thinking and character that could undermine your purpose if left unattended.
It's common to panic when a famine hits your situation, but as we will see in the next chapter with Abraham's son Isaac, God can provide in a famine without you moving or finding a new job. Relocating was the answer to the problem for Abraham. Yet, it's not unique to people in general, for God can use your finances to move you on—or to mold and shape you where you are. The key is not to give in to fear, but to seek His voice and will when finances are limited.
Where is God using your money or its lack to speak to you? Are you in panic mode, or do you understand that God is teaching you through your needs? God is the overseer of your purpose and knows you and your family need money to live on. Therefore, if the money isn't there, then God is up to something else and it's your job to find out what it is. The good news is that He's ready to show you—if you don't jump to the conclusion that you know what to do before seeking Him where your purpose provision is concerned.
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