Scarcity Mindset

You know those conversations you enter that spiral toward negative chatter really quickly? I was recently chatting with a client who was listing off all the hard things. We went on and on and on about the struggles, fear, worry, and brokenness of the world. And I was right there with them! I joined in the negativity, fear-based discussion. There are plenty of things in this world that make me sad and plenty of days where I could just sit in the worry.

And then I remember that’s not what we’re made for. I remember that we’ve been created in abundance and love and hope. I remember that this world is not our permanent home; we’re looking forward to a home yet to come (Hebrews 13:14). God is not a God of fear or scarcity; God is a God of abundance. Jesus says in John 10:10, “I have come that you would have life and have it to the full.”

But … scarcity is our cultural norm. We prefer fear-based thinking, worry, control, and holding on to everything tightly. Those conversations are normal in our world. And every time you open a social media app or see headlines, you’ll see the fear and scarcity. At the same time, this doesn’t bring us life. It certainly isn’t fun. There must be more. There must be something different, right?

Right. In research, it’s called an abundance mindset. And, believe it or not, it starts with gratitude. At the end of that conversation with my friend, I realized how ‘blah’ I felt! And I said, “Okay – now what are three things we’re grateful for today?” — and it lifted our spirits. Gratitude is the antidote to scarcity thinking (proven by research!). It’s all over Scripture, too. Just take a quick look at the Psalms and watch how some of the most devout people wrestled with fear, struggle, and scarcity in the face of real-world threats … and then praise God.

What are three things you’re grateful for today? Shoot me an email and let me know! Let’s share our praise with one another and spread gratitude, joy, and hope in abundance today!