Life as we know it has changed dramatically. The happenings of the past few months have left so many in a state of fear and panic. People have already lost jobs or are in a state of limbo wondering if they will be next on the “chopping block”. Even before the current woes caused by COVID-19, there always seemed to be more month than money to meet our obligations. Even if we got an increase in income it just never seemed enough. What kind of advice does the Bible give that can help us navigate these challenging times and help us be better stewards of money?
Plan your Spending
“ For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?’ Luke 14:28
You won’t know how much to spend if you don’t first “count the cost. Have you ever had $5000 JMD and before the end of the day it’s finished, and you haven’t a clue what you did with it? It’s a mystery. Did someone rob me? Is there a hole in my pocket? Nope! You didn’t plan properly. Sitting down to plan a budget monthly forces you to see what your financial position is. It allows you to give each dollar available to you a job. After tithing, paying bills and saving (which should be non-negotiable) how much money do you really have at your disposal? Your spending should not exceed that.
Avoid Debt
‘The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender’ Proverbs 22:7
Avoid debt as much as possible. One of the quickest ways to misery and despair is to have debt hanging over your head with no clue how you’ll manage to pay it all off. As the above scripture says, you have effectively turned yourself into a slave and Christ did not shed his precious blood for us to end up in slavery. Okay, so you made some bad decisions and have now found yourself swimming in a pile of debt. What’s next? First, stop beating yourself up and instead use that discomfort your debt brings as motivation to pay it off. At minimum, 10% of your income should go towards paying off debt. Aggressively tackle your smallest debt first by paying above the minimum each month while still trying to make the minimum payments on your other debt. As you knock off each debt hurdle you feel more confident and it gives you the momentum pay off debt that may be a little more daunting.
Maximize your Gifts
“Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well’. Ecclesiastes 11:6
You are the solution to someone’s problem. What is that gift, talent or desire you need to hone to be a solution carrier? People will pay to have their problems solve. Can you write, bake or sew? A lot of persons have now been faced with the realization that their 9-5 is not as “secure” as they thought it was. Now is a good time to be looking at creating multiple streams of income. Be diligent in acquiring knowledge and mastering those skills then take a step of faith to be the solution someone is waiting on.
Even though the situation may look dire remember that your ultimate source is God not man. He responds to faith and faith is shown by the work you are willing to put in. Your work+ God’s empowerment= Unlimited possibilities.
Walk good ‘til next time!
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.2.1″ hover_enabled=”0″]Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.2.1″][et_pb_column _builder_version=”4.2.1″ type=”4_4″][et_pb_team_member image_url=”https://crystaldaye.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/terri-malabre.jpg” _builder_version=”4.2.1″ hover_enabled=”0″]Terri- Ann Malabre is passionate about pursuing the heart of God. She desires to use her writing to help persons solidify their faith and develop a healthy mindset towards money using biblical principles.
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