The Antidote for Anxiety and Depression: Trust in Abba Father’s Care – Pt 47
Love Instead of Owing!
Owe no man any thing, but to love one another…
– Romans 13:8
As a young adult, during the time I was unemployed I had a part-time job at a department store for a salary of $600. monthly. It was barely enough to meet my needs but I was grateful and content. One day a friend asked me to loan her $100. She needed it urgently. This friend had a good job with a good salary. For me to loan her $100. meant making a sacrifice as I didn’t have $100. to spare and I didn’t know how to say “no” or “I can’t” even when I was really not in the position to. Therefore, I lent her the $100. when I got paid. The agreement was that she would pay me back at a certain time so I expected to receive it at that time so that I would meet the needs that I had sacrificed. When the time came, she didn’t pay me back and there were no explanations. When I asked her for it, I sensed an attitude. That created anxiety for me as I wasn’t comfortable asking her for it again so that affected our relationship. I was already suffering from anxiety and depression so my thinking was black and white. If you ask me to loan you, I expect you to return it but if you ask me to give you then I release it.
Years later and the table turned. I now have a full-time job with a fairly good salary. One day I was at a friend’s business place which I frequented and saw some items that I needed in the amount of over $500. but I didn’t have enough money at the time to pay for them so I asked her to put them away for me. Instead, she told me it was ok for me to take them and pay her later. I agreed with all good intentions to pay her back. However, shortly after I took the items from my friend, I had financial challenges and I was unable to pay her. Every time I saved a little to pay her, I always ended up having to use it for medical purposes. I explained to her and she understood. However, I was mindful that she is operating a business and not a charity so every day the thought of not being able to pay her haunted me like a ghost and that made me very anxious and ashamed. Then one day I got a phone call from the person who deals with her business’ finances and it wasn’t a pleasant phone call. The anxiety rose to another level and fear decided to step in as well. I eventually managed to pay her what I owed but continued to feel so ashamed that my frequent visits to her business place stopped.
It was then I decided that never again will I take anything from anyone that has a cost if I am not able to pay for it at the same time. It doesn’t matter how grave the need is I prefer to do without and heed to the warning of the Apostle Paul in Romans 13:8 to, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another…”
I didn’t know the reason my friend didn’t pay me back the $100. she owed me as promised. I never thought that she might have had a valid reason for not keeping her promise to pay me back, until I was in the situation and had all good intentions but was genuinely unable to. I realized how owning others, money especially, can ruin relationships. I believe this was one of the strategies of the enemy to keep me in isolation, mistrusting, anxious and depressed.
I also believe that this is one of the reasons that the Apostle Paul warns to “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another…” Love for one another will cause us to do right by one another. To pay our debt to and not take one another for granted because of friendships.
If you have borrowed money or anything else from someone and you have not paid them back, whether deliberately, dishonestly, or because you genuinely can’t at this moment, I admonish you with the words of the Apostle Paul, “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another…” Give them a call today and apologize for taking so long to pay them back and promptly pay back what you owe. It will do you and the person you owe more good than harm. You see, you don’t know how your not paying back your debt affects the person you owe until you communicate with the person. Let God’s love be manifested in you today for one another.
God bless you!
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Daddy, I worship You for sending Your only Son Jesus Christ to pay the ultimate price for my debt. This is love in demonstration and there is no greater love than this. I thank You for the people You have brought into my life. Help me not to take them for granted but to love them with brotherly love and to own no one anything. I declare that my relationships and grounded in Christ and no attack from the enemy will be able to affect them. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ mighty name with thanksgiving. Amen!
