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Inspiration

Is it a Resource or the Source
By Joel Osteen - May 03, 2019
I talked with a man who had worked for the same company for thirty-two years when, out of nowhere, it was sold. He was out of a job and so discouraged. He never dreamed he would have to start over at his age. What could he do? I told him that job was simply the resource God had used to bless him. It was not his source. God was his Source, and He already had another resource lined up. About six months later, the man came back so happy. He said, “I didn’t just get another job. I got the position I’ve always dreamed of.” His income was almost double, the benefits were better, and the workplace was closer to his home.

It’s easy to look to people or to our job as our source. Yes, God uses people, jobs, and contracts, but they are not the Source. They are simply resources that the Source uses. If you’re seeing anything or anyone other than God as your source, when something happens to them, you’ll think, “What am I going to do? The source has been cut off.” No, the Source is just fine. God is still on the throne. The Scripture says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). That good gift may come through people, but it came from your heavenly Father. Your salary may come through your company, but it came from God. That contract may have come through a connection, but it came from God.



That’s why you don’t have to play up to people at work or compromise to get a good break. People are not your provider; God is your provider. If you don’t understand this, you can make people your god. “If my supervisor doesn’t like me, if this contract ends, if this client leaves, how will I make it?” Take people off the throne. People are not your source; God is your source. It’s nice when they’re good to you and recognize your value, but don’t become so dependent on them that you start seeing them as your provider. Recognize that behind the paycheck, behind the career, behind the opportunity is the Most High God. He’s causing people to be good to you, causing doors to open, causing clients to seek you out.

Be thankful for the resource, but keep your eyes on the Source. Recognize Him as your source right now and say, “Father in heaven, thank You that You’re my provider. You’re the Source of everything good in my life. I recognize that every good thing comes from You.”
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