One recent Spirit-filled step forward came when God told me, as I parked my rental car for the night in the midst of my alternator disaster, You are just a steward. The Lord ever so gently reminded me that I am just a steward of everything I own. My money, my car, my home… They are all gifts from Him, and I am just a steward. And it doesn’t end there! My body, my health, my spiritual gifts… These are all gifts from God, too, and I am just a steward. 

A steward is a manager of someone else’s property. Stewardship, as defined by Merriam-Webster, is the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care. In case you need the same reminder I needed as I complained and cried about having to fork over $1,400 for my most recent car repairs, everything we have actually belongs to God. Every dollar in my bank account is only there because He provided me with the job that deposits the money in there in the first place. God is the source of everything!

The natural world around us: 

• The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters. -Psalm 24:1-2

Our bodies:

• Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. -1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Our daily breath:

• In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. -Job 12:10

Our earthly wealth: 

• Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. … But who am I, and who are my people, that we should be able to give as generously as this? Everything comes from you, and we have given you only what comes from your hand. -1 Chronicles 29:12, 14

Our gifts and talents: 

• There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. -1 Corinthians 12:4-11

And if you’re still not convinced, here’s Bible proof that God is literally the source of everything good: 

• Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. -James 1:17

So if every single thing that I touch, use, enjoy and see each day is a gift from God, then I literally cannot claim it as my own! My job is to steward what He gives me. More specifically, I am called to steward it wisely, intentionally and prayerfully. Nothing I “own” is mine! So all I can do is take care of what I have and offer it back to the Lord as a grateful offering in service to Him. 

Now, let’s return to the scene of the crime… Or in this case, the scene of my discouraged frustration at the latest car bill set in front of me. As the Holy Spirit whispered into my ear, you are just a steward, a light bulb went off in my heart. I had finally reached a deeper understanding of the fact that the money saved up in my bank account isn’t even mine to begin with. And with that fact established, there was simply no need for me to feel angry about losing a chunk of it. In that moment, I was filled with peace and gratitude. 

Why gratitude? Well, let’s be honest. Saving money isn’t always easy, and sometimes life’s challenging and unexpected circumstances make it extremely difficult to do so. At the moment, I’m in a season where my efforts to practice wise financial stewardship have set me up for success when it comes to car bills that weren’t on my bingo card. Am I saying that anybody who doesn’t have savings is a bad steward? Nope, although that might be the case at times. Am I suggesting that my financial stewardship skills are perfect? Definitely not—far from it. What I am saying is that for me, in this one particular instance, I was hit with a wave of gratitude that I had the funds to pay the bill. God reminded me that He’s the one who provided my job, He’s the one who helped me save money for a rainy day, and He’s the one who made a way for me to own a car in the first place. As a grateful, careful steward of all He’s given me, there is no place in my heart for greed, selfishness or discontent. 

Are there times or areas in your life when you feel hesitant or even cranky about giving something away—money, time, energy, status, possessions, etc? If you notice even the tiniest bit of entitlement creeping into your heart (like it did mine), remind yourself that you are just a steward. Everything you have is a gift from God! Remember what a privilege it is to wake up each day determined to carefully, wisely and joyfully steward God’s gifts in your life. Hold loosely to anything that feels like it’s yours! Instead, offer it up to the perfect gift giver, our kind, generous and good God. 

To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. -Deuteronomy 10:14