I Pray Seven Words Each Day

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I was constantly bombarded by the depressing thought, “No one will support me!”

When I joined The Navigators and started raising support, I tried to find people who “looked wealthy.” I spotted a few suspects. “Suspects,” yes. They were strangers I’d never met, not genuine prospective givers. And I assumed they were too busy to see “little ole me.”

So, I focused on friends and contacts who seemed promising. “This guy is sure to give,” I told myself. But if they said no, I found myself resenting them.

Others promised to give, but never did. I was constantly bombarded by the depressing thought, “No one will support me!” I didn’t know what to do.

While confiding (actually complaining) to a veteran missionary friend, he asked, “Scott, do you pray about your funding every day?” “Not every day,” I said. He went on, “If I were you, I’d pray about it every day.” Shortly after that I re-discovered seven words in the Lord’s prayer:

“Give us this day our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11)

At the same time, I found Numbers 18:21:

“To the sons of Levi, behold, I have given all the tithe in Israel for an inheritance, in return for their service of the tent of meeting.” 

The pronoun “I” got my attention. It was God who gave to the Levites—the fulltime workers of Moses’ day. The Levites looked to God as their Source.

My error? Looking horizontally, not vertically. 

Here’s what I do (and did): I pray every day that God will provide our monthly budget—I name the exact amount. With God as my Source, I no longer try to guess the net worth of potential partners. I stopped trying to impress, I stopped hinting about money. I now look beyond people to God—the Source of all.

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Prayer: Father of all, You have called me into ministry. I know I must invite people to give, but I now choose to look beyond people to You—The Source of my funding. Amen.