There are two kinds of abundance in life. The first one being abundance in earthly possessions and the second one being spiritual abundance. Worldly abundance is something to do with the things we acquire in the world.
For example, we have different plans and dreams in our lives. We want to be able to achieve a good education, and then have a house, a car, and then savings that can sustain us for years or even more money to let us buy things that we want in life. We also like to have a family — a good relationship with our spouse and children.
On the other hand, there is a spiritual abundance that we can only attain through Jesus Christ’s blessings. As it is written, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13-14).
Our worldly abundance is not cast on stone. Yes, we dream of these things, and sometimes, we ask God for worldly abundance but, most of the time, we do not receive them as we plan to receive them. We don’t always get to have this worldly abundance, and if we do, having such abundance does not always make us happy. In John 10:10, Jesus says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”
Spiritual abundance is an abundance that is cast on stone. It is the positive feeling and outlook of life with amplified hope because Jesus Christ, our Savior, gave us the gift of Salvation. This kind of abundance will always make us happy because it is of God.
These two kinds of abundance pose a question, is praying for abundance in life really biblical? Should we ask God for abundance?
Abundance is mentioned in the Bible many times. In 2 Corinthians 9:8, it is written, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. “
And in Deuteronomy 28:12, “The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. “
God Provides Us Abundantly in His Time
Even if we read many verses about abundance in the Bible, it is important to set our minds clear on the purpose of our prayer for abundance. We have to bear in mind that God provides us abundantly and this should be our mindset — that God gives it to us in His time.
That is why we must pray for things with the mindset that God provides us in His time and not the time that we set for ourselves. God is generous to His creations. His generosity is emphasized in so many scriptures, such as,
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us (Ephesians 3:20).
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6).
We should never forget this while praying for abundance in the world because everything comes from Him. He has given us this assurance as it is written in Psalms 115:14, “May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children.”
We Pray for Abundance That Glorifies God Alone
While praying for abundance is not a bad thing, we should pray for the abundance that glorifies God alone because it is the sole purpose of our short time here on earth. We are not from this world, we are merely passing through, and because of this, all earthly possessions are fleeting. For this reason, these possessions are given to us to glorify Him, our Father.
Deuteronomy 28:6 emphasizes this as stated, “You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.” And in Deuteronomy 8:18, “But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”
We Have to Seek God for Spiritual Abundance
But more the worldly possessions, the more important abundance to pray for is spiritual abundance. Jesus is already in our lives because He was sent to us by God to give us salvation.
After His death and resurrection, the Spirit remained in us as our connection to God the Father and we can only have this sustaining connection if we received Christ as our Savior and continue to follow up.
Sometimes, in our worldly life, we tend to forget this spiritual abundance and focus only on praying for our worldly abundance. We focus too much on our wealth, career, and education and tend to put our spirituality on the back burner. We forget to go to church and pray every day to God and glorify Him.
Matthew 6:33 states, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”
This scripture emphasizes that for us to have abundance, we must seek God first. This holds true in both spiritual and material abundance. We must seek God by following Jesus’ teachings and loving the Lord our God.
Abundance Should Not Worry Us
Sometimes, we do not get what we want in terms of material things. This tends to make us worry about our future because we have not attained our dreams. The Bible reminds us of worrying about abundance.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” (Matthew 6:25-34).
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens (Psalm 68:19).
This means that while it is okay to pray for abundance, it should be done without worrying if that abundance may happen or not. We must place all our worries to God because he is our sole provider of abundance.
What Does This Mean?
While the Bible does not emphasize praying for abundance, it does emphasize three major things: That abundance comes from God, that blessings of abundance should be used to glorify God, and that spiritual abundance is more important.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Chinnapong
Glory Dy has been a content creator for more than 10 years. She lives in a quiet suburb with her family and four cats.
This article is part of our prayer resources meant to inspire and encourage your prayer life when you face uncertain times. Remember, the Holy Spirit intercedes for us, and God knows your heart even if you can't find the words to pray.
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Prayers for Family
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The Lord's Prayer: Our Father
