Two Keys to Managing Money Well
I've realized that no matter how long I've been managing money and how much I know about managing it God's way, it doesn't get easier. The lure of wealth and all it promises, especially through the consistent advertising we're exposed to daily, has an impact. It can wear us down and make us discontent, causing us to use money selfishly, even foolishly. It is impossible never to make a mistake, but managing money God's way should be the standard we seek and the desire we hold.
From a spiritual perspective, I know what I'm supposed to do, and I have the desire to do it, but my motivation weakens and is sometimes less than it should be. How can I stay the course and overcome the temptation money and wealth often brings into my life?
Spirit and flesh
Jesus warned Peter that "the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:41) He knew that it wasn't a lack of desire that made him weak. It was his physical body, the human flesh, that he had to bring under control. When we're dealing with money, we're dealing with something that impacts the physical. Money can provide protection, pleasure, temporary enjoyment, and so much more. These are things related to our flesh, the weakest part of us, and it's why money and wealth can so easily ensnare us.
Understanding God's principles is crucial to managing money safely and productively. But, we cannot ignore the flesh, or we will find ourselves ill-prepared to stay the course of living as a faithful steward. The warning to "watch and pray" Jesus spoke to Peter applies here. We must be mindful and prepared practically as well as spiritually, practically by having a plan, and spiritually through an ongoing communion with God. If you're going to manage well what's been entrusted to you, you have to talk to the owner.
A plan for managing well
The enemy loves confusion and disorder because he knows that he can have the greatest potential to get us off track through them. It's easy to make mistake after financial mistake when you don't have a plan to manage money. In such situations, every spending decision is uncertain, emotional, even fearful. Have you ever made a financial decision and lost peace right after you did it? This is when the feeling of uncertainty intensifies and fear begins to take over. There's a reason for this.
Years ago, I learned that a loss of peace is often the Holy Spirit's last resort to getting you to hear and obey what he's trying to say to you. When God speaks to us, it's primarily through His Word. If we won't listen to His Word, he speaks to us directly, like when you're having a quiet time or driving in your car alone. If we still won't listen, he sends a person or persons to provide godly counsel. And finally, if we choose to ignore godly counsel, he removes his peace.
Lack of peace in our finances is the clearest indicator that we're not hearing and obey God's will; that we've missed his Word, his voice, and his instructions through others. If you find yourself in this situation, the good news is God has been trying to communicate to you! He has a better way, and He can lead you to experience his peace in your money management.
"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace." 1 Corinthians 14:33
Order is the way to peace in our finances. We must create and implement a plan that aligns with God's financial principles and his purpose for us.
Two Keys to Managing Money God's Way
1. Put God first
The first part of managing money God's way is to put Him first in your finances. Giving God the first and best is how you gain the wisdom and ability to manage the rest. Tithing the first portion back to God is making a declaration that all you have is from Him. This is vital for keeping you from becoming prideful and self-seeking in your management of money. It also allows you to remember God's faithfulness to you today and that you can trust him with your future needs.
2. Manage by God's financial principles
Give - The best way to overcome selfishness, discontentment, and greed, all weakness of the flesh, is to also look out for others' interests. (Philippians 2:4) Counterintuitive as this may seem, it actually brings you more meaning and fulfillment than spending everything on yourself. Jesus said it! "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35)
Save - God has promised to always provide for what we need, but he often gives us more than we need so that we can practice the principle of saving, ensuring that we are prepared for the unforeseen things that the future may bring. It is God's way of providing for your future today and allowing you to practice delayed gratification, a necessary part of managing money well.
Spend - This is the area of finances where mammon tries to gain control, so we need to be wise about the following:
Materialism: Things get our attention. Things are not bad in themselves; they only become harmful when they become our source of satisfaction, security, or identity.
Comparison: This is based on our understanding of our worth and our identity. As believers, our identity is what God says it is, and He says, "for you have been bought with a price." The price God paid for us was the blood and body of His Son, Jesus Christ. We are priceless in God's eyes, so we need never compare ourselves or our worth to anyone else.
Discontentment: Because the flesh is weak, seeking satisfaction and pleasure, we must bring it into submission. Spending on purpose, practicing delayed gratification, and being aware of the ongoing advertising designed to make us discontent, will help us to take our focus from the temporal to the eternal, from making this world our kingdom to building God's kingdom.
Conclusion
Managing money God's way must include a practical plan to provide a process for making consistently wise decisions based on Biblical principles. It does away with the confusion and disorder that flesh-driven decisions cause and make it possible for us to experience God's perfect peace even when the force of our materialistic culture is raging against us.
If you're a pastor or spiritual leader, consider joining our CSN community. We are a group of passionate Christ-followers with a burden to teach and equip God's people with God's financial principles so they can live purpose-filled and generous lives. Sign up for our mailing list to get new content from CSN directly to your inbox!
For Further Reading:
The Hidden Motives Behind our Spending
How Generosity Reveals Your Heart
If you're a pastor or spiritual leader, consider joining our CSN community. We are a group of passionate Christ-followers with a burden to teach and equip God's people with God's financial principles so they can live purpose-filled and generous lives. Sign up for our mailing list to get new content from CSN directly to your inbox!