A Prayer to Be Faithful and Obedient with Your Finances - Your Daily Prayer - February 5

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A Prayer to Be Faithful and Obedient with Your Finances
By: Alicia Searl

Bible Reading:
And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:19

Listen or Read Below:

I must admit that with a girl in college and the cost of everyday living continuing to climb, we have had our fair share of not-so-fun conversations about our finances. Sadly, it feels like no matter how hard we both work and try to give back and save, we are barely squeaking by. 

After a few unexpected and rather substantial expenses, we decided it was time to have another sit-down discussion to go over the budget. Yet, this time was different. I could tell by my husband’s demeanor and tone that the stress had taken a toll, and he meant business. After taking a deeper dive into the current trends and our everyday expenses, I understood his seriousness and felt the heat wave of anxiety wash over me. 

My initial thought, which was honestly based on fear, was: How are we going to be able to recover from this?

We had become slaves to lenders and were balancing several hefty payments; there was no feasible way we could continue much longer. It made me cringe as the numbers glared back at me on the budget charts and expense graphs my husband meticulously laid out before me. And, quite frankly, it didn’t make sense. We didn’t spend a bunch of money on elaborate vacations, entertainment, or hobbies. We gave wholeheartedly to the church and a few non-profit organizations. We saved to compensate for the unexpected. We tried not to buy unnecessary items, and yet, here we were, swimming in debt! Frustration kicked in as the outcome looked bleak.

Thankfully, the Bible doesn’t gloss over this issue; in fact, it mentions how we are to honor God with our money multiple times throughout the Word. Yes, that includes times when uncertainty prevails, and inflation erodes the funds before we can even access them.  

Oh friend, I know how disheartening and alarming it can be when you are doing your best and trying to be financially responsible, only to continually stumble into tough times and barely make ends meet. But there is hope!

In Philippians, Paul is giving the church a message on how to discover the richness of God’s provision. It comes with continuous generosity and gratefulness. Basically, we are never promised prosperity or wealth, but we can rest assured that God will take care of our needs when we do as He commands us with “His” provisions. 

God commands us to trust Him (Philippians 4:19), be faithful with what we have (1 Corinthians 4:2), use money as a tool, not a master (Matthew 6:24), give generously with joy and compassion (Luke 6:38), and have a gracious heart and give thanks for what you do have as everything belongs to God (Psalm 24:1).

As believers, we are called to use our money wisely, give with joy, and let it bring glory and honor to God. When we wade through seasons where money is tight and it becomes difficult to provide, we must seek God with a soft heart and ask for His wisdom and discernment as we faithfully continue to trust Him and His provision. 

Let’s Pray:

Faithful Father, we are so grateful for Your provision and loving care for us. We know that You call us to trust You and be faithful as You graciously supply for our needs. So, we come before You with humble hearts and seek Your wisdom and discernment as we try to manage our expenses in a way that honors You.

Please show us areas where we can improve and utilize our resources and expenditures in a way that alleviates financial stress and obstacles. Grant us ways to foster healthy habits with our income and hold gracious hearts as we give, save, and spend wisely.

We ask all this in Your precious name, Amen.

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Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Milan Markovic 

Alicia Searl is a devotional author, blogger, and speaker that is passionate about pouring out her heart and pointing ladies of all ages back to Jesus. She has an education background and master’s in literacy.  Her favorite people call her Mom, which is why much of her time is spent cheering them on at a softball game or dance class. She is married to her heartthrob (a tall, spiky-haired blond) who can whip up a mean latte. She sips that goodness while writing her heart on a page while her puppy licks her feet. Visit her website at aliciasearl.com and connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.

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