For many years I aspired to a number of the pearls of wisdom I felt came from the writings of Stephen Covey.   Several of my closest colleagues were certified Covey facilitators so it was something that we referred to and used consistently.    Although I’m sure many of Covey’s concepts have stuck with me in my professional life there are a few that I still find myself thinking about in my personal life.  I’ve even shared them with someone who I think could use a theory to help their situation.   One of my favorites is the idea of thinking about life or something specific with an abundant versus scarcity mentality.

From “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” Covey shares that people with a Scarcity Mentality have a very difficult time sharing recognition and credit, power or profit – even with those who help in the production. The Abundance Mentality on the other hand, flows out of a deep inner sense of personal worth and security.  It is the paradigm that there is plenty out there and enough to spare for everybody.  Interestingly, I often recall my mom saying things like “there’s enough to go around” and “I would love to have something like that (but of course, I’d want them to have a better one)”.

I was pleased recently to see a chapter in Joel Osteen’s book, “The Power of I Am” with the title “Have an Abundant Mentality”.   The chapter starts out by saying, “God’s dream for your life is that you would be blessed in such a way that you could be a blessing to others.”    Joel goes on to say that “God is an overflow God”.  I especially loved that saying, but I also appreciated that I was being stirred to think of Covey’s Abundance Mentality in a whole new and exciting way.

The spirit of Joel’s book is to challenge us to change our thinking and our personal self-talk.   We are prompted to truly consider that our lives are moving toward what we are thinking about.   I liken it to our internal compass.   If our internal compass is stuck on “S” in this case ‘Scarcity’ (rather than South), that’s exactly where we are headed.   It seems much easier to believe that things are happening to me, not that I have that much influence over my life and the outcomes.   I wonder why that is?

I’ve considered yet again that we struggle with opening our minds and hearts to true abundant thinking because we remain limited in what we alone can see, hear and experience.   Perhaps its that who we are without Christ limits us to what we know we are capable of accomplishing on our own.   It’s only when we get out of our own way and take that step back can we allow ourselves to believe how much more God can see than we ever can or ever will.   A well known Bible story reminds us of this important fact.   Jesus and His disciples are on a boat and the wind picks up causing raging waves.  They panic believing they are going to drown.   Jesus wakes up, rebukes the wind and waves and the storm stops so that all is calm.  Jesus asks the disciples “Where is your faith?”   (Luke 8:24-25)  Can you hear Him asking us that very same question, whatever is heavy on our hearts?

It seems easy to understand that story as we are familiar with other such miracles in the Bible, aren’t we?  But what about within our own lives?  When we get caught up in the storms of our own lives, do we think God has lost control and that we are at the mercy of the winds of fate?   The power in this story’s message is that the same God who cared about the disciples, cares about our world today.  And even more important, He cares about you and me.

Just as Jesus calmed the waves, he can calm whatever storms we may face.   But we need an abundance mentality to know that and to believe it.

This is all said extremely well in the song “He Already Sees” by The Collingsworth Family.   Do yourself a BIG favor and listen to this beautiful song.    Pay special attention to the line that says, “He already sees the rainbows when we only see clouds“.

When the storm raged about them,  The disciples were afraid,

For the waves were high and the ship was tossed they could not find their way,

Then they awoke the Master Saying Lord please save us now

He rebuked the winds and the sea grew calm,  And they all wondered how

God sees the storm from the other side, He knows the lessons learned,  And just beyond the clouds He sees clear skies

He speaks peace to the raging storm, When peace cannot be found

He already sees the rainbow when we see only clouds

Like the man on the sea did I have called on God in prayer,  When it seemed to me all hope was gone, And in my deep despair

I remembered what the Lord said,  When He calmed that troubled sea

And I know once more how He sees the storm,  And peace floods over me

God sees the storm from the other side, He knows the lessons learned,  And just beyond the clouds He sees clear skies

He speaks peace to the raging storm, When peace cannot be found

He already sees the rainbow when we see only clouds

And when the storms of life come crashing in and trouble me I can feel God’s arms around me

and He whispers Let it be… Let it be….

God sees the storm from the other side, He knows the lessons learned,  And just beyond the clouds He sees clear skies

He speaks peace to the raging storm, When peace cannot be found

He already sees the rainbow when we see only clouds.

https://youtu.be/25ryU9Jbt0Q

The very next time your heart is heavy just look up knowing that although you can only see the clouds of doubt, worry and concern, God sees your storm from the other side and He sees clear skies.  Even if we can’t find peace just then, you can let it be and believe that God already sees the rainbow!

 

References:

Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, copyright 2004.

Joel Osteen, The Power of I Am, copyright 2016.