A Quarter Pound of Cheese: Enjoying Life in the Lean Times

Not that I speak from want for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13)

Many of us have probably encountered lean times in our lives.  Times when we struggled to meet our financial obligations or found that all we could do was to just meet our obligations.  In those times, it is easy to focus on the lack rather than the provision. It is a slow fade into looking at our lives as a glass half empty rather than half full. We focus on what we cannot afford rather than what we can afford.  This leads to dissatisfaction with our own lives and jealousy of others that seem to have it easy.  This is the slippery slope away from gratitude to complaining.  It pulls a dark cover over how we view our lives and over how we view God in reference to our lives.

One day, I had slipped into viewing our finances as a glass half empty while in the supermarket.  I had my list of essentials and I was keeping a close watch on my spending. I kept hearing in my spirit to get sliced cheese.  One of the young men in our house loves the Pepper Jack Cheese and in that market only Boars Head had it at $9.99/lb.  Normally, I would get a pound but that day, I could not see myself spending that much on something was not a necessity. Since the thought wouldn’t leave me, I went to the deli counter anyway.  As I stood at the counter feeling uncomfortable about spending that money, I heard in my spirit, “a quarter pound.” “You can afford a quarter pound of cheese.  That would be about $2.00. You can afford $2.00.”  So, I bought a quarter pound of cheese and it was sufficient.  I rejoiced over the purchase of that cheese because I knew there was a lesson in it.

In the above Scripture, we see the word “content.”  I noticed that the word “content” is one letter from being the word “contend.”  We must contend for our contentment.  The Greek word for “contentment” is “arkeo”, which means “to put up a barrier” or to be satisfied.  The purpose of a barrier is to keep things out.  Contentment keeps out dissatisfactions, discouragements, fears, complaining and a multitude of negative thoughts and attitudes.  It does not mean that you do not look forward to things changing or  neglect to do what fosters change.  It is having gratitude for where you are on the way to where you are going.  It views the lean places as temporary and subject to change.  In the meantime, we are grateful for the “quarter pound of cheese.” Similarly, we may not be able to pay the whole bill but we can be grateful to make payment arrangements and see it as grace and favor.  We may not see the whole solution but we can take the first step towards it.

Scriptural Examples

This concept is seen in Scripture with the Israelites in the wilderness. God provided everything they needed nutritionally in a substance they called “Manna.” Which simply meant “What is it?”  In addition to provision, I believe mana was  given to foster total trust and faith in God’s ability to provide for them. Instead, they chose complaining over gratitude which fostered dissatisfaction and unbelief.  They saw their cup half empty and fell into a lack mentality. Consequently, when the opportunity for change came they lacked the courage to seize it.  When God was ready to take them into the place of abundance, they were quick to believe the words of fear over the words of faith.  It is interesting to note that out of the twelve spies that went into the land, only two spoke faith.  One of those two, Joshua, hung around the man of faith, Moses, and kept close to the presence of God. Who are your companions? What are they fostering in your life? Are they people of faith and gratitude or people of fear and complaint?  1 Timothy 6:6,8 (NASB) states, “But godliness actually is a means of great gain, when accompanied by contentment….And if we have food and covering with these we shall be content.”  Being satisfied with what you have on the way to where you are going pleases God and brings reward.

Another example is Elijah during an horrific famine. By faith, he followed God’s direction and was provided for throughout the whole season of famine. Interestingly enough, the provision came from  two very unlikely sources.  During the first part of the famine, it was from Ravens.  How many of you would receive food from a scavenger?  It was probably not Kosher.  Elijah never complained.  He gladly received God’s provision. After the brook dried up, God lead him to another unusual place of provision – a gentile widowed mother in a gentile area of the country, Zarephath.  A widow was among the poorest of people.  Why would God send him there?  What could she do for him?  She didn’t even worship Yaweh.   Regardless of how illogical it seemed, Elijah knew God had sent him there and knew that the true source of his provision was God.  I wonder if he thought, “If God could feed me through an unclean animal, he can provide for me through a gentile widow.” God  also was the one who convinced her to be a source of provision.  Again, if a raven could do the unnatural thing of sharing his meal with a human, this woman could also respond to God by feeding the prophet before feeding her own child.  Through her act of faith, God provided for all three of them through the whole famine.  The provision, though was very simple.  As with the Israelites, it was bread.  It was not a whole meal but it was satisfying and sustaining.  It was the “quarter pound of cheese.”  It was enough and they were grateful.

The Challenge

What season are you in right now?  Are you in a lean season with your finances, your health, your family life, your career, your ministry, your relationship with God…?  How have you been viewing it? Is your view of your situation as a glass half empty rather than half full? Do you see it as a season you are passing through or do you feel stuck in a cycle?  Do you have an attitude of discontent and find yourself complaining, envying and feeling discouraged?  Then repent and begin to give thanks for what you do have rather than complaining or mourning over what you don’t have. Rejoice over what you can do rather than mourning over what you feel you can’t do.  Embrace and appreciate the small things that you are blessed to have or do – your “quarter pound of cheese”.  Allow this season to draw you closer to our good, good Father. Allow it to shape your character as you look forward to crossing over into your “land of milk and honey.”  Know that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17  ) and He delights to give His children good gifts (Matthew 7:11).  1 Thessalonians 5:18 reveals His perfect will for us.  In addition to rejoicing always and praying without ceasing, we are to give thanks in everything. Then we will begin to experience the “Shalom” – the total wellness of body, soul and spirit that Jesus’ death and resurrection  purchased for us (Isaiah 53:5).

Prayer

Let’s pray.  Dear heavenly Father, thank you for the lovingkindness and patience You have displayed towards me while I wallowed in discontent and/or fear.  Help me to see my life as You see it – through the eyes of victory.  Help me to appreciate the small blessings on the way to the breakthrough – the place of promise.  Help me to celebrate You in the wilderness/lean seasons of life.  You are good and You “will withhold no good thing from those who walk uprightly in You” (Psalm 84:11). Reveal to me my “quarter pound of cheese.”  In Jesus’ name, Amen.