The gift wasn't for me

Date: February 4, 2026

Introduction: Sometimes, what the Lord asks you to do isn't for you. Everyone's life effects everyone's life.

 A rustic wooden table featuring an open Bible turned to Deuteronomy 28, a gold credit card, and a small pile of coins. Beside them lies a vibrant, patterned blue and orange fabric with a yellow measuring tape, symbolizing the intersection of faith, financial stewardship, and the story of the dress.

During the time when I didn't have much money, I was feeling low and depressed. I went to a local department store to window shop. I was checking out the clearance rack, and I came across a super cute dress at an amazing price. The one thing wrong with this dress was that it was not my size. I told myself not to buy it. I didn't have the extra money, and it wasn't my size. It was like the hanger stuck to my hand and I couldn't get it off. I was so compelled to buy it that I did just that. I bought the dress.

On Sunday the pastor spoke about money. That we shouldn’t be in debt.

Deuteronomy 28:12

The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow.

Here I was living from credit card to credit card. Working as a realtor looked fancy to most but working for commission only was not as easy as it sounds.

I prayed, “Lord, Your word says that I should be a lender not a borrower. Pastor preached on Sunday about being good stewards and not live beyond our means. Then I’m compelled to buy this dress. It was a super awesome price but it’s not my size or anything. I’m guilty because my finances are going the wrong way. I feel like I am going more in debt than out of debt. Please forgive me.”

I then had a vision, like a dream. In front of me was a dollar sign $0.00. The numbers started turning really fast and the number was getting bigger and bigger. At the same time, I heard from the Lord. He said, “If you can’t trust Me for a small amount, how will you ever trust Me for big amounts? I manage all creation from the smallest to the largest and nothing is out place. Trust Me!”

I said to the Lord, “Ok. I’m trusting You. I choose not to feel guilty.”

I then announced out loud, “Devil, my money is none of your business. Get off of me and my money. In Jesus Name”

That dress sat in my closet for a couple of weeks because I knew that it didn't fit. Even though it was too big it was comfortable. I did wear it to church once, but it was awkward because it didn't fit.

The next week I was sitting with a friend of mine and she was telling me that she had scored a job interview. She was so excited but at the same time she was feeling scared because she didn't have anything to wear. I asked her, “what size do you wear?” Do you know the size of that dress was exactly her size. My mouth dropped. Oh My Gosh. That dress wasn’t for me.

I said, “Do you remember the dress I wore last week? It happens to be your size so let me give you the dress and you wear it to your job interview.”

She was a little hesitant at first because she wasn’t trying to get help. She was just talking to me. I told her that I knew that she was not looking for a handout but that I felt compelled by the Lord to buy that dress and I didn't know why. But now after hearing from her I felt that the Lord had used me to provide the dress for her to wear to her job interview. The dress really wasn't from me it was from the Lord, her heavenly Father,

Further your Faith:

Today's message is about the importance of listening to divine inspiration, trusting in God's provision, and recognizing how our lives are interconnected. Hopefully, it encourages you to be open to the ways you can serve others, even when it may not seem immediately apparent.

Genesis 12:2-3

I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

Matthew 6:26

 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Philippians 4:19:

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

2 Corinthians 9:11:

"You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God."

1 Corinthians 12:12-14:

"For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit."

Isaiah 6:8:

"And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?' Then I said, 'Here I am! Send me.'"

Galatians 6:2:

"Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."