Have you ever looked at someone else’s success and, if you’re honest, thought, “If they’re winning, what does that mean for me?” Or maybe you’ve found yourself constantly worrying about not having enough: enough money, enough time, enough people, enough opportunity. We’ve come to believe the way we think about scarcity and abundance doesn’t just affect our finances; it shapes how we see God, ourselves, other people, and ultimately how we lead. So today, we’re going to talk about what it looks like to recognize scarcity thinking, why it can be so destructive, and how, as followers of Jesus, we can learn to lead from a place of trust, generosity, and abundance rather than fear.

What is a scarcity mindset?

• A pattern of thinking that emerges when you feel there aren’t enough resources.

Common scarcity markers include:

• Constant “not enough” thinking.
• Hyper-focus on immediate problems
• Difficulty spending or using resources.
• Zero-sum thinking.
• Our identity becoming tied to deprivation or struggle.

One useful question: “Am I responding to an actual constraint right now, or to the fear that there might be a constraint down the road?”

What is an abundance mindset?

• The tendency to see resources, opportunities, possibilities, and your own capacity as expandable rather than fixed.

Common abundance markers include:

• Celebrating others success.
• Willingness to invest.

• The conviction that there is more than enough success to go around.

Transitioning from scarcity to abundance thinking

• Read the bible. Believe what it says.
• Practice gratitude.
• Practice generosity.
• Refuse to compare.

The way we think about God, ourselves and others—specifically as it relates to scarcity or abundance—predicts the trajectory of our life and leadership.