We’re All Freaking Out (And Why We Don’t Need To)គំរូ

In Money We Trust

Let’s look next at one of the most common sources of anxiety in our lives: money. America is the wealthiest country on the planet. We are also one of the most anxious nations on earth. 

Wouldn’t you assume the richest group of people in the history of the world would not worry about money? Could it be that financial anxiety has nothing to do with how much money you have? 

Why are we tempted to trust in money more than in God? 

Solomon writes in Proverbs 18:11: “The wealth of the rich is their fortified city; they imagine it a wall too high to scale.”

King Solomon says people see their money as though it’s a wall of protection around their lives, thinking it can keep them safe from whatever comes their way. But he tells us that people don’t realize this protection exists only in their imaginations. 

In a moment’s notice, the economy could tank, the stock market could crash, or you could lose your job. In an instant, you’d realize that wealth is not the protection you thought. Finding security in your bank account, salary, 401(k), or job will put you on a roller coaster of anxiety. 

The apostle Paul taught a similar idea in 1 Timothy 6:17:

Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment.

It’s been said that acknowledging we have a problem is the first step to freedom. Perhaps to overcome financial anxiety, we need to admit that we don’t trust God to provide. We instead look for security and comfort in money, or anywhere we can find it while forgetting that God is the only true source of security that will bring peace. (How ironic is it that our money—the thing most people trust in more than in God—has “In God we trust” printed on it?)

Paul assures us, and Jesus repeatedly teaches us, that God promises to provide for you. He will meet your needs, so let peace flow from his promises, not from a paycheck.

Does your relationship with money cause you anxiety? If so, in what ways? What lies about money are you most tempted to believe?