Are You Having Financial Struggles?
If you are like me, you have probably been feeling a little bit on edge about the economy and your financial state. Prices are soaring on everything. Gas, food, housing, insurance and taxes. You name it, and the price has increased. Housing prices have increased 8-10% and inflation on a whole is up 6.5% from last year. Layoffs have begun and many are faced with less hours and decreased salaries. So where and how does faith in God have a play in all this? How do we keep from losing our sanity?
Know that you are not alone. Although financial struggles don’t go away overnight, there is hope. Do not panic. Instead, begin to “cast thy burden upon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.” Psalm 55:22. The amplified version reads, “cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it]. Release the weight you are feeling over to the Lord. This sometimes is a difficult task, but if you continually go to Him with your financial burdens, He will sustain you. He will give ideas and show you things to do or not to do. He cares for you. Matthew 6:25, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on”. The word continues with how the Lord takes care of the birds of the air, and clothes the lilies of the fields. In other words, why be anxious. He will take care of you. Remember worrying does not do anything to change your circumstance. Faith and action do.
Rather than fret about things, instead assess your situation. Take a look at exactly where you are financially. “For which of you intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and count the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it.” Luke 14:28. As things change, as your financial state changes, you must sit down and count your costs. This is not to overwhelm you, or discourage you, but to give you understanding of exactly where you are at. When you assess your finances, you can then determine a budget. That’s right, I said that bad word, “budget”. I myself have had a hard time dealing with the “budget”. But it works. Instead of living paycheck to paycheck, and spending everything that comes in, make sure your budget has money being set aside for emergencies, vacations, and the future. Proverbs 21:20 shows us that a wise man stores up his provision, but a foolish man devours (spends) all that he has. When you make a budget and stick to it, you are not spending all that comes in, but setting aside money for the future. It also shows you if you need to eliminate some expenditures, or find additional income to keep them. God tells us that we would lend and not borrow. How can you get to the place of being able to lend if you are spending every dollar you bring in? Or worse, spending above what you actually bring in? The word also tells us that the borrower is a slave to the lender. God desires His people to be free. Free from all bondage, anxiety, fear and worry.
We must also live content. Luke 3:14, “be content with your wages”. Timothy tells us that, “godliness with contentment is great gain.” A good passage to read is in Habakkuk 3:17-19, a Hymn of Faith showing us even when things are not flourishing, we must still rejoice in the Lord. That He is our strength and He will make us walk on high hills. Please understand that being content where you are at does not mean you stop believing for your hopes and desires. On the contrary, when you are faced with financial struggles and mix faith with works, you will see God come through with miracles. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:19
As you mix your faith with your works, you must continue to “sow seed”. The word is full of passages on how giving increases our harvest. Luke 6:38, “give and it shall be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.” Don’t stop giving!!!! During financial struggles, put the tithe at the top of your budget. You can never out give God. I have witnessed the power and the blessing of giving year after year after year. When I was in a time of desperate need and gave anyway, the financial miracles happened. I can also tell you that there were times when I held back in my giving and saw the miracle provision held back as well. Don’t stop giving. On the contrary, if you are in need, give more. Malachi says it best. “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, In what way have we robbed You? In tithes and offerings. You are cursed with a curse, For you have robbed Me.” Verse 10 tells us to “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, And try Me (test me) now in this,” Says the Lord of hosts, If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it. I don’t know about you, but I desire to see the blessing where I don’t even have enough room to receive it.
This week, cast your cares unto the Lord, assess your situation, sit down and put together a plan, a budget, and mix your faith with all you do and continue to give! God will do what He does best. He will raise up a standard and meet every need according to His riches.
Praying for supernatural abundance to come your way!
Until Next Time Remember,
Stay Calm and Be Empowered!
