God's Resurrection PowerSample

Walking Through Seasons of Financial Hardships

Everything we have is a gift from God—from the smallest details of our daily lives to our eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. God has made a way and given us everything we need to live a godly life that honors and glorifies Him!

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. -2 Peter 1:3

However, there are moments or seasons in our lives when we struggle, and struggling financially is a challenging burden to carry. Whether we’re experiencing job loss, unexpected and unavoidable expenses, or sitting in the consequences of past financial mistakes, the struggle of financial brokenness is real and raw. Seasons of financial brokenness are accompanied by stress and feeling overwhelmed.

Some of us find ourselves in a financial situation brought on unexpectedly and overwhelmingly by life’s unpredictable calamities or other extenuating circumstances. Some of us find ourselves in these situations because we don’t have a good grasp of what biblical financial stewardship looks like. No matter what has brought us to this place, trusting God for our financial needs is the next step. When we let God lead our finances and all of our financial decision-making, He will reveal His plan and direction.

Financial stewardship is a touchy subject because many find talking about finances to be taboo. Many people have benefited from seeking biblical financial counseling. We see that God addresses stewardship in Scripture, so it needs to be something at the forefront of our minds. In Luke 16:10, Jesus says, “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”

No matter how big or how small our financial struggle is, God is prepared to carry us through when we rely on Him for our every need. Use what He has provided to bring honor and glory to the Lord by paying our debts, giving generously, and thanking Him every step of the way.

If handling money well has been a constant struggle, we can ask the Holy Spirit to direct our financial decisions and to help us fight against the temptation to overspend and under-give.

Proverbs 3:6,9-10 says, “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take… Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine.”

The writer of Hebrews says, “Don’t love money” (Hebrews 13:5). It may not be that we truly love money, but for many, we truly love the stuff money can purchase. Perhaps we love the dopamine rush of swiping the credit card or getting a package delivered to our front door. Maybe it’s the status symbol our cars and homes represent and the feeling that we’ve made it when we have these things.

The second part of Hebrews 13:5 says, “Be satisfied with what you have.” Here is where we find the treasures of our hearts. Are we satisfied with what God has provided, or …

• do we constantly look for the next “best thing”?
• do we covet what our friends and family have?
• do we find contentment wrapped in materialism?
• do we find our identity in what we own?
• are we so focused on our financial problems that we can’t trust God?

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?” -Hebrews 13:5-6

Money isn’t the problem; the issue lies in our hearts.

The Almighty God, who raised Jesus Christ from the dead, is living within us. With His power, we can overcome the stress and financial hardships we’re facing. Trust in His provision and seek Him for satisfaction, not what the world offers.

Dear Lord, help us to understand the importance of trusting in Your provision. Give us a heart that desires to honor You with our finances. Help us to set aside the desire for status symbols, materialism, and anything that pulls us away from You. Help us to see beyond our financial despair and keep our hearts focused on seeking You and Your will above all else. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Declare this truth over yourself as you pray and meditate on God’s Word: I declare Galatians 2:20 over myself, “My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” I give my struggles and my fears over to Jesus. They have no power or hold over me.

Psalm 54:4 says, “But God is my helper. The Lord keeps me alive!” Because God is going before me, I have nothing to fear.