Do You Have a Shortage or a Surplus Mindset?

by Rick Warren — February 4, 2023
From Living in the Goodness of God

“My cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.”

Psalm 23:5-6 (NIV)

Is your life overflowing? If you’re like most people, it may be overflowing—but not with goodness. So many people have overbooked their calendars, overspent their money, overdrawn their credit, overloaded their emotions, overworked their bodies, overcrowded their days, and overvalued the approval of others. As a result, they wind up overstressed, overanxious, and overwhelmed—and they’re over it! They are far from experiencing the goodness of God.

Why do we do let ourselves get overextended? Often the fear of missing out motivates us to do more. But the truth is you’re not missing out on anything when you rest in the goodness and provision of God.            

God wants to move you from being overwhelmed to overflowing. He wants to meet all your needs—and he can! First, you need to recognize two fundamentally different approaches to life that either keep you from God’s abundance or bring you into God’s abundance: a shortage mindset and a surplus mindset.

With a shortage mindset, you constantly think, “I don’t have enough time. I don’t have enough money. I don’t have enough energy. I don’t have enough contacts, opportunities, knowledge, education, or whatever.” It’s the sense that you’re always a day late and a dollar short. A shortage mindset focuses on your limited resources, and the result is an overwhelmed life.

A surplus mindset focuses on God’s limitless resources, and the result is an overflowing life.

Have you ever worried that the person breathing next to you is stealing your air? Of course not. You know that God created more than enough air for everybody to have all the air we need.

The Bible includes words like abundance, plentiful, abounding, and bountiful to describe what God has to offer you. God has more than enough to meet all your needs and everybody else’s needs at the same time.

Jesus said, “I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of” (John 10:10 The Message).

You don’t have to worry about running short of anything, because God is the source of your life. He wants to fill you with an endless supply of his goodness, joy, blessing, hope, and peace, so you’re able to say, “My cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life” (Psalm 23:5-6 NIV).

Talk It Over

  • What perspectives or emotions reflect a shortage mindset?
  • How does a surplus mindset produce peace in your life?
  • Why do we so often worry about how much others have instead of focusing on God’s abundant provision in our own lives?

God’s abundant provision begins with Jesus.

The Bible says you can only get to heaven by trusting in God through his Son, Jesus Christ. You cannot earn your way into heaven: “It is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV).

If you’re ready to commit your life to Jesus, start with this prayer:

“Dear God, you have promised that if I believe in your Son, Jesus Christ, everything I’ve ever done wrong will be forgiven, I will learn the purpose of my life, and you will accept me into your eternal home in heaven one day.

"I confess I have sinned, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus died to take away my sins and that you raised him to life. I want to trust Jesus as my Savior and follow him as Lord from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen."

If you just prayed to accept Jesus, please email me at [email protected] and let me know about it. I’d like to send you some free materials to help you start your journey with Jesus.


Give hope, prayer, and encouragement below. Post a comment & talk about it.