Two dollars. That’s it.
As the realization hit me that there was no way to make things work, I sank down in my seat with my head in my hands and a negative balance in my bank account.
That morning as I sat at my desk working on one project, I frantically searched in my purse for some petty cash to put gas in my fuel-depleted vehicle in order to make it across town to work on another project. All my efforts in purse-digging resulted in just two dollars and a scrunchie that I had not seen in a while. I proceeded to do as most Christians do: I threw myself a little pity party, complete with coffee and complaining.
After all, I internally grumbled, I’m just doing everything I can to serve the Lord. Why isn’t there enough money in my account? Isn’t God supposed to supply my financial needs?
My pity party raged on as I turned over each of those two measly dollars on my desk. In the center of one of the bills, some previous owner had circled the phrase “In God we trust.” I hung my head at the sting of those words. Realization of my lack of trust in God in that moment hit home.
Proverbs 3:5 says, Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. I was definitely leaning on my own understanding in this situation because I did not understand how God could leave me with two dollars to accomplish all I needed to accomplish that day. Right then, I asked God to forgive me. I told Him I was trusting Him to handle it. As I started to place the bills back in my purse, I noticed a tiny sliver of green wedged in the corner pocket. My eyes filled with tears as I pulled out a twenty-dollar bill.
I was reminded of words from a song that a group in our church sings:
“In God we trust, in God we trust,
We will live by these words, In God we trust;
And we call on America to join us,
So the world will know, in God we trust.”
What a reminder God gave me, that where my trust needs to be is most certainly not in me or in my own understanding. As a Christian, I want to point others to trust in God, but I cannot if I am constantly trusting in myself to get everything done. My trust needs to be in God.
Others are watching us—spouses, children, parents, co-workers, drive-thru cashiers, grocery clerks, friends, and neighbors. Our faith is on display to them. Do they see our trust placed in ourselves or placed in God?
That morning, I tucked the twenty-dollar bill along with the single, unmarked dollar bill in my wallet. As for that dollar bill with the circled phrase “In God we trust” on the back? Well, that dollar bill will remain in my wallet to remind me always of where my trust should be.
Who are you trusting today? I hope you will join me in saying, “In God we trust.”
by Beth Payton
