Trusting God with our finances can be tough. But if we are going to complete this Trust Project, we have to deal with our fears about money. Have your Trust Project printables ready, and let’s do this!
What are the benefits of trusting God with our finances?
First, we won’t experience all the negative effects of anxiety: the sleepless nights, the G.I. distress, and the conflicts that inevitably occur as a result of financial worry. But we will likely make better choices when we are trusting God with our finances as well. Perhaps we won’t take risks or a job that isn’t a good fit for our family simply for the sake of making more money. When we trust God with our finances, we have the opportunity to see Him provide in ways we never even dreamed of. When we are striving to manage our finances ourselves, we will invariably take the credit for any extra cash that comes our way.
What will you start and stop doing if you are trusting God with your finances?
We want to ask ourselves things we will stop doing and start doing if we are trusting God with our finances. Maybe we will stop worrying, stop going over and over our accounts, and stop nagging one another about spending habits. Perhaps we will start praying with our spouse specifically about our financial needs and we will start earnestly looking for God’s provision. Perhaps we will start a financial course such as Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University.
What are the benefits of trusting God with your finances?
We will ask ourselves the benefits of trusting God in this area. I covered a few of them already, but likely our mood, our health, and our relationships will improve when we are trusting God with our finances.
T – the Truth about trusting God with finances
Now let’s discuss the T in trust. It stands for truth. Our Scripture to meditate on this month is 1 Timothy 6:17.
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.”
Our Bible account is the feeding of the five thousand from Matthew 14. God isn’t hindered by any obstacles in meeting our needs. Whether our spouse is unemployed, the medical bills are mounting, or the economy takes a nosedive, God is still able to provide and provide abundantly.
Any time this month you have thoughts that lead you to mistrust God with your finances, record them on your Trust project printables. Respond to these thoughts with truth, whether that truth comes directly from Scripture or from what you know to be true. You might respond to a fear of being bankrupted by dental expenses, which is a thought I have honestly had recently, with a more reasoned appraisal of your ability to cover the expenses with financing, moving money in the budget, or asking God for extra income.
R – remembering God’s faithfulness with finances
The R in trust is for remembering. Remember God’s faithfulness to you with your finances. As a single woman, I was terrified that God would not provide for me financially. I had two credit cards. I would borrow from one to pay the minimum payment on the other. Not the best financial plan, right? When I met my husband, my financial status changed and so did my money habits. I know God provided for me in the form of my husband, but the truth is every time before that that I feared I would be out on the streets, God provided for all my needs.
U – understanding God’s wisdom for your finances
The next letter in our trust acronym is U for understanding. What wisdom has God given you in this area? My sister-in-law tells a funny story of her first days as a self-supported missionary. She literally sat at home, waiting for people to call and come over and deliver the finances that she needed to do her work. That is until her ministry leaders made it clear that she was to go out and ask for support.
When I evaluate my single days of financial trial, it’s easy to see my errors in judgment. For example, I lived alone in my apartment. Had I roomed with another graduate student, my housing expenses would’ve been cut in half. Had I paid cash for my recreational activities, I would have realized I was out of money long before I got the overdraft fees that were a regular occurrence in my life. We are blessed to have so much financial wisdom at our disposal. If you need financial education, Crown Financial is another excellent place to start.
S – Supplication for our finances
The S in trust is for supplication. We pray for our financial needs to be met, but we don’t dictate how they will be met. Or when. I once listened to a pastor’s sermon in which he said everyone wants a miracle, but no one wants to be in a position to need one. So true. Sometimes God will miraculously provide your needs financially at the last minute, without providing us with the immediate security we crave.
For years, my husband and I lived in fear that the company he worked for would go out of business. That fear hung like a cloud over our financial decisions. Of course, we prayed that my husband would keep his job. But one day, after 15 years of fear, it happened. The company was sold and my husband’s commissions were being cut off. Within about two weeks, however, my husband was offered a job with a competing company. His work with that company has been a joy. While with the former company, my husband constantly bemoaned the poor customer service and resulting disgruntled customers, the new company made those concerns a thing of the past. Our finances improved as a result of the job loss. We prayed that my husband’s company would stay intact. But we are so thankful God answered our prayer in a better way. Our prayer should be for God to meet our needs in the best way.
T- thanking God for our finances
The second T in trust is for thanksgiving. You’ve heard how rich we are in first-world countries compared to so many other places. It can be hard to believe that when you’re getting bills you can’t pay and you are unemployed. But it’s still true that we have advantages that much of the world would and do risk their lives to have. If we are not expressing gratitude for what God has already given us, why should He entrust us with more? I ask that not to invoke fear, but to provoke true gratitude. Thank Him today for His provision.
Conclusion
One of my favorite books about trusting God with finances is the biography of George Muller. I find lots of opportunities to talk about this book because I love it so much. Read it to your children and show them how God does provide, especially when our motives match His. We aren’t to believe God for a lottery win, but we are to believe Him for everything we need to raise our families and fulfill our calling.
Do you have a financial need I can pray for? Comment and tell me below.