3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you. (1 Peter 1:3-4, NASB)

Too Much Reliance on Earthly Resources

One of my passions is reading. Especially mysteries and psychological suspense stories. Because of the fullness of this life season, I primarily indulge this passion through audio books. 

One morning, I was in the kitchen preparing a smoothie, and listening to a lighthearted mystery. The author used a common plot tactic to move the protagonist into a new life situation by giving them a surprise inheritance. The person in the book received a letter informing them of an unknown family member leaving them an inheritance and estate of great wealth. They now had a new life, new home, new town, and the need to work was optional. 

As I was listening to the book, I thought, “I wish I could get a surprise inheritance.” In truth, I’ve had this thought before. But what was new this time, was the immediate response from the Holy Spirit, “You already have an inheritance.” I had to stop the smoothie making and praise God! 

The challenge with being dual citizens, living our earthly lives while also living in God’s Kingdom, is that earthly resources tend to take precedence in our lives. We greatly increase the value of money, homes, cars, and other signs of wealth and prestige because of how we believe they will impact our lives. We’re not necessarily wrong. Our human constructed systems do teach us that more wealth should increase the comfort of our lives. Increased wealth helps us move up the ranks of Maslow’s Hierarchy (see below), which all of us want. And it is something we all deserve.

The problem is when we put too much reliance on earthly resources. We stay in places and positions too long because of the value we place on the money. We stay in relationships too long because of the value we place on the security. We make decisions based solely on the perceived value of how it impacts each level of Maslow’s Hierarchy in our lives. 

And we ignore the guiding voice of the Holy Spirit. And we devalue the wealth that God provides. And we don’t activate our faith to trust how God’s inheritance will impact our Maslow’s Hierarchies.

High Reliance on a Lasting Inheritance

The inheritance we receive from God can be trusted. And it comes with guarantees: 

• Received when we believe in Christ 
• Delivered through the presence of the Holy Spirit 
• Eternal with a never-ending share in God’s own life, kingdom, and family 
• Provides riches including and beyond earthly wealth and resources 

Our goal is to shift our reliance solely on earthly resources to be solely on God’s inheritance. Easier said than done? Yes. But it’s possible through faith. 

When we receive news that we have an inheritance, it should ultimately shift how we view ourselves and our identity. We should begin to see ourselves as heirs to an inheritance and estate of great wealth. We should understand that we now have the opportunity to live a new life, in a new home, and in new town. But we must embrace it fully through faith. 

Fully embracing our inheritance through faith means we must be willing to risk our Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. Willing to let go of our physiological needs, our safety and security, love and belonging, our self-esteem, and our quest to be self-actualized. 

This doesn’t mean that we’re taking a vow of poverty or other extreme measures. But it does mean that we shift our reliance on people, positions, power, and money to fulfill those needs. It means that we turn our faith and attention to God first in order to have those needs met. It means that we trust in the deposit of our inheritance, the Holy Spirit, to guide us in the way to achieve those needs. It means that we’re willing to qavah (wait) for the physical manifestation of our inheritance, instead of trying to use earthly resources to force fulfillment. 

In plain language, we stop staying in places and positions too long. We stop believing that we don’t have what we need. We stop relying only on people to love us and help us feel like we belong. We stop believing in ourselves based only on what we accomplish versus just because we exist. 

Instead we believe in the fullness of the richness of our inheritance. One that has all the earthly and supernatural resources to completely fulfill every level on Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs.

Weekly Power Shifts

1. Auditing Your "Earthly Reliance"

Reflection Question: Think about your current life situation. Where are you currently over-relying on earthly resources—staying in a position, a place, or a relationship too long—simply because it provides a false sense of security or fulfills a level of Maslow's Hierarchy?

• Your Action Step: Perform a "Security Audit" this week. Draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper. On the left side, write down 2-3 earthly things you are heavily relying on right now for your safety, belonging, or selfesteem (e.g., a specific job title, a certain relationship, an income goal). On the right side, write down what it is costing you spiritually (e.g., peace, ignoring the Holy Spirit's prompting, anxiety). Ask God for the courage to loosen your grip on the left side this week.

2. The Practice of Qavah (Waiting) vs. Forcing

Reflection Question: Which specific need (physiological, safety, love/belonging, esteem, or self-actualization) are you currently trying to force into fulfillment using your own earthly strength, rather than trusting the deposit of the Holy Spirit?

• Your Action Step: Identify the one need you are striving the hardest to fulfill right now (for example: trying to prove your worth at work for self-esteem, or controlling a situation for safety). For the next 5 days, intentionally practice qavah (waiting). When you feel the urge to force an outcome, strive, or manipulate a situation to get your need met, pause. Pray a breath-prayer: "Lord, I stop forcing. I choose to wait and trust in what and you’re going to fulfill my needs through my inheritance." Journal any shifts you notice in your anxiety levels.

3. Stepping into Your "Heir Identity"

Reflection Question: Receiving a massive earthly inheritance would instantly change how you view yourself, your future, and your daily choices. If you fully embraced your identity today as a fully-resourced heir to an imperishable Kingdom, what is one decision you would make differently this week?

• Your Action Step: For the next 7 days, practice your "Heir Identity." Every morning, before you look at your phone, check your bank account, or look at your to-do list, look in the mirror and declare this truth out loud: "I already have an inheritance. My needs are met, my future is secure, and I am a fully resourced heir in God's Kingdom." Walk into your day making decisions from a place of wealth and abundance, rather than a place of scarcity and fear.