Jumpstart Your FinancesSýnishorn

Retirement isn’t an if question, it’s a when

If you do not put any money away for retirement, don’t expect to have any when you retire.

I have said many times that money cannot buy long-term happiness, but having money can provide you with choices. More money just means more choices. If you have planned properly, you could have many choices during retirement. If you have planned poorly, you might not have any choice but to work for the rest of your life.

The question of saving for retirement comes down to this: should you save money during your working years to provide for yourself during your retirement years? 2 Thessalonians 3:7–10 says, “For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.” (ESV)

Financial stewardship now, including saving for retirement, can enable you to better serve others later. Understand that when you save for your retirement, not for selfish enjoyment of a lavish life after years of hard work, and not even for self-sufficiency since our dependence is always on God, your goal is to exercise godly wisdom in providing for your needs in future years and having enough to continue giving to others.

Your trust should not be in government programs or reliance on your individual retirement accounts. Your heart should be set on things above—where your true treasure stands—while still recognizing future needs. Understand that making provisions today for those future needs is a biblically wise thing to do.