Money Talks

3/31/2011
Money Talks

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” - Proverbs 3:5

How many of you have ever had financial challenges?  I have.  And for the most part I know all of the natural techniques to get out of financial situations.  Maybe you can cut back here and there on some of your discretionary spending.  Or how about consolidating debt into one affordable payment.  You can increase your exemptions to put more money in your paycheck and get less of a refund.  You can work a second job.  You can refinance your debt.  You can defer your student loans.  You can borrow from your 401k. You can request for deferred payments on your mortgage.  You can do all sorts of things to put extra money in your pocket and try to get out of the bad financial situation you are in.  After eleven years as a financial planner, I can say that there are not too many strategies that I haven’t heard of or recommended that people implement.  But sometimes, those natural strategies are not the answer.  Sometimes God is using your finances to speak to you and call you to another level of spiritual growth in Him.
    What do I mean?  Well, let’s look at an example.  Let’s say that you are really good at managing your budget under normal circumstances. You have regular practices of paying your bills on tie.  Your credit is in good shape.  You avoid late fees.  You are the epitome of financial management.  You even pay your tithes at church every week faithfully.  People look at you and say, “I wanna be like you when I grow up!”  Congratulations.  But maybe you are also a bit of a Type A personality.  Maybe you like control a little too much.  When things are out of place or not going according to plan, you quickly rearrange things to get them back in order.  And maybe God is teaching you how to trust Him more.  So here comes a hiccup.  All of a sudden, your car breaks down and needs a ton of work.  A storm comes along and sends a tree flying through your living room.  SInce it was an act of God, your insurance company may or may not cover it. So your savings begin to dwindle.  Then, just as you finish paying for all of these things, you get laid off.  And you ask yourself, “What is happening?  Why me?!!”
    When your traditional ways of fixing your financial situation don’t seem to work, maybe (like the old song says) “God is tryna tell you sumthin!”  Maybe God needs to use your finances to get your attention, because it’s an area of your life that you try to control.  And God wants all of your life, not just your Sunday morning routine. So what should you do in this situation? I’m glad you asked.
    Here’s what I recommend.  The next time you find yourself in a troubling financial situation, start with prayer.  Maybe a prayer something like this:
“God, I know that you are Lord of all.  So I am coming to you because everything I know to do doesn’t seem to work.  But I am open to hearing your voice and instruction.  I want to surrender my financial life to you, but I don’t know how.  Please teach me your ways. And show me what you want me to learn in this season.”
That’s one idea.  Then you have to be open to the fact that everything you know to do may not be the solution to this particular issue.  You are going to have to let God teach you.  which sometimes means that your strategies go out the window temporarily until you have learned this lesson.  I hate to use this four letter word but sometimes we just need to . . . . W-A-I-T.  It sucks, I know.  But sometimes it’s the way to go.  Wait and listen and then obey.  Sometimes your money situation is God speaking to you.  And if we don’t learn to pay attention, we end up in worse financial situations by trying to do it our way, by our own understanding.  We just have to remember that God’s ways are not our ways.  No matter how diligent we may be at managing our finances, sometimes His plan will take precedence.  And if he is calling  you towards maturity in Him, then your finances can be a target.  But don’t worry, things do get better.  And on the other side, you learn so much more about who God is, that you don’t even mind the financial intrusion that got you there.  Things do get better.  And you can go deeper in Him.  You just have to trust Him.  He knows what he’s doing.  Even when you don’t.