Did you really earn it?

Something happened this morning when I was writing today’s devotional.

I was thinking about that quiet inner glow you get on payday - or when you close a deal, finish a project, or get a good result. That warm sense of: “I did that.” There’s nothing wrong with it. Effort is real. Hard work matters.

But then I came back to King David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles 29, and it stopped me in my tracks.

He’s just led the most extraordinary act of national generosity in Israel’s history. Gold, silver, bronze - the equivalent of millions - all given to build the temple. It’s his finest hour. And what does he say to God?

“Everything we have has come from you and we give you only what you first gave us.”

He doesn’t take the credit. He gives it back.

In a world that tells us our salary proves our talent and our savings prove our discipline, there’s something quietly radical about saying: actually, none of this was mine to begin with. That’s where real generosity starts - not with how much we can spare, but with recognising the whole thing was always a gift.

I’ve recorded a 5-minute devotional on this today. If you’ve got a lunch break or a commute, I’d love for you to watch it. There’s also a George Herbert poem that hasn’t left me all morning.

👉

See you tomorrow.

Rob

Read this week’s devotionals here - https://open.substack.com/pub/battledrilldevotional/p/when-clever-isnt-enough?r=643q6o&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true