The Breakthrough

For quite a few months Mary had been diligently watching her funds, taking no chances in overspending by keeping to the four walls of her house, and attempting to preserve their financial status. However, the more Mary did this the more their money seemed to slip away from them.
It was on a shopping trip one day with another Christian friend that the breakthrough came. Oh, it was not the kind you think, dear reader. Nor was there any great windfall from heaven – at least not from a monetary view. But what did come was a revelation worth its weight in gold!
It was during a discussion regarding a financial advisor both women knew that the truth came out. Mary’s friend had been listening to this speaker at night on the radio. However, as she shared with Mary, it was revealed that her friend grew more and more frightened from what the speaker dictated. There was a panic developing inside and a fear. The more Mary’s friend listened to this show the more she grew concerned about every penny she spent.
Mary sat listening in the car that day to her friend with her mouth open and her eyes widening in recognition. She, too, had felt this way. She, too, had become paranoid over her spending. In that conversation Mary recognized God had spoken to her heart in a whisper lately about what she had been doing. God had queried Mary as to what He had done in the past. Mary knew God had supplied her need over and over again during most of the years of her Christian life. But when she heard the question Mary thought she was to perhaps reflect on God’s reliance that He would indeed supply her needs in the future as He had done during all her history.
However, when Mary’s friend began to reveal her own fear that was beginning to sink into her soul after listening to this money man Mary saw something else. She recognized God wanted Mary to reflect on God’s goodness in her past life to help her dismiss the fear that had also taken root in her life.
This fear had been subtle at first starting with concern over keeping to a budget. Then the concern turned to preoccupation with not only their resources but their spending. Finally, the obsession had become full blown so Mary was no longer seeking first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Rather the fear lead to negative conclusions on her and Robin’s financial existence. It lead to this point in her history where she began to think they would lose their house, have to move, and on and on the torment went.
The mercy and grace of God that day in the car revealed Mary’s heart of fear. Mary repented almost immediately. The day out with a Christian friend had turned into a freedom from bondage. It was exhilarating and freeing to find herself delivered of this yoke.
As Mary drove away from dropping off her friend at home that day Mary felt the fear dissolve replaced by joy and peace. Mary was so grateful that God had broken through that day to speak His truth and love into her heart. The more Mary reflected on it the more God revealed how He had supplied her needs in her life and it was not because Mary froze up in fear, became obsessed with budgeting and stopped living. Rather Mary recognized her faith and steps of faith had pleased God because it was often times when Mary had very little that she took huge steps of faith financially in her walk with God.
She recalled all those years having a business in Toronto. She had a $6,000 overdraft which she used constantly to its limit. She didn’t bury her “talents” but used every penny. Mary knew this had pleased God though it had troubled her ex-husband that she had taken such risks. He had been too much like her neighbour.
Mary’s neighbour’s name was Wally. He was the carpet guy who rented the building next to her on a commercial strip in Toronto. Wally had a large overdraft, too, which he never used. Wally sat in his store day after day but never took any steps up faith to increase his stock. His business was not prosperous and he barely had his needs met. There was nothing in the store that showed prosperity or excitement about what he did. Wally was always sitting, smoking and waiting until someone came in to his store. After they would leave he would always complain about the customer. It was always the customer’s fault that they didn’t buy. It had nothing to do with Wally’s attitude or the way he presented his business. No, it was always the other person’s fault.
The way Wally ran his business had been a huge lesson to Mary. Witnessing his fear and how it ran his life Mary had been determined to run her business in quite a different manner and in fact, she did. In a time when the interest rates were almost 22% Mary filled her gift store with beautiful things and treasures every woman loved. Perhaps it was because the times were hard when most people needed a little comforting that she sold so many things or perhaps it was the attitude of her heart. No matter the economy Mary always did well because her positive attitude and trust in God showed.
Now as Mary reflected on her past she saw how her faith in God had been a blessing. Mary had been hearing lately in her heart of hearts that without faith it is impossible to believe God. This did not mean Mary was to become reckless in her spending but over and above everything Mary was to live her life for God and His kingdom, trust Him, and walk in faith. Her heart’s desire that day in prayer a week or so ago had been to bring God glory no matter what her life was like.
This breakthrough that seemed to come on the wings of this prayer changed things dramatically for the way Mary felt and acted. In fact, the drive inside her to move left Mary completely. She realized that perhaps buying the cottage and then thinking about moving to Windsor were attempts to escape the fear she had felt possess her soul. A great calm came over Mary. She was delivered!
The following morning as Mary began her day with prayer she read in scripture how Abraham and Sarah had waited until they were in their old age to have their promised Son, Isaac. They had waited and waited year after year until Sarah finally heard that next year at this time she would have a child she laughed. It must have seemed absurd to a woman in her 80’s that she would bear a child. But she did.
However, her life had been one of wait. Mary reflected on this drama, how it played out, and realized sometimes we need to be prepared to wait on God. Mary had never asked God “when” they would move to Windsor. Nor did Mary ask God “when” He would restore the years the locust has stolen from her financially as well as career wise. Out of this morning reflection Mary came away realizing the “when” of all her dreams may not be now at all. Mary believed God had a perfect timing and when He was ready He would move. Mary did not know when that was going to be and she knew God was not in the business of sharing when in the future things would happen. So Mary would trust and wait.
For now she was delighted and felt delivered of a bondage to preoccupation with her spending. She had been released. Today was a new day. Who knew what the future held or when things would transpire. The important thing was to live now, serve God, and love Him with her whole heart, soul, and mind and love her neighbour as herself. With a silent prayer that morning Mary started her day anxious to see God’s face in all those around her and the need presented there.