"In God There Is Enough"

I was attending a conference this week and in the process heard the quote "in God there is enough." The quote really resonnated with me and my experiences recently. Anyone who has ever been involved in church, or for that matter any non-profit, finances knows how precarious things really can be. Despite all the planning that is done, a church is ultimately dependent on the often irregular giving of its members, it truly becomes a test of faith. The churches I work at currently are both looking at "projected" deficts for the end of the year, which means if everyone gives what they pledged and everything costs what we expect then we will have a shortfall at the end of the year. This can obviously be a source of great stress, but I think it is better to see it as a source of strength. I know for me personally as a pastor I love to not have to worry about money. In my own life I like the comfort of know that my upcoming bills will be covered by my upcoming paychecks, or better yet, by the money already in my account. I certainly have the same desire for my churches. I think the problem is that too often we want to be in control of everything. A church that has all its problems already covered has no need of God. The quote I heard is a good reminder that churches would be better to trust a little in God's grace and blessings rather than simply in financial calculations. I am not saying that churhes should not track their finances, but that rather than stressing about having a perfectly balanced budget, remember that God provides. How different would our churches, organizations, and stress levels be if we remembered that "in God there is enough."