One of the major sources of conflict and stress today is money. Everyone has their idea of how they should use their money. The truth is, we do not own our money. Everything we have comes from the Lord, so whatever we own belongs to Him.
So to be good stewards of the money He has entrusted to us, we have to understand God’s purpose for money. We see that Proverbs 3:9, which says,
“Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops;”
Honoring God with our money means living in financial freedom. A life free from debt, unpaid bills, and maxed out credit cards. It means honoring Him by using the resources He provided according to their purpose.
How Does He Want Us to Use Our Money?
I used to think that God wants me to be happy, which is why He gave me the power to use my money in whichever way I want. I bought expensive clothes, shoes, and bags to fill my happiness tank. I thought I was doing the right thing.
But when I came to Christ, I realized that His purpose of money is not to give us independence or security. Neither does He wants us to splurge on whatever we want. His purposes are:
To Provide Basic Needs
If we are too obsessed with building our lives around possessions, then, losing them will be catastrophic. Financial security is only possible when we build our lives around things that can never be taken away from us.
The Lord wants us to live a life of contentment. But what kind of contentment does He mean?
8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.
1 Timothy 6:8
People who are not content with the Lord’s provision will always find themselves in financial and spiritual problems. Contentment with the basic necessities enables us to block out the world’s lure of materialism. As long as you have the basics, you are good to go.
To Give to Others
2 Corinthians 8:14
14 At the present time, your plenty will supply what they need so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.
Our willingness to offer financial help to others is a reflection of our obedience to the Lord. You can tell how committed a person is to help and what their priorities are by looking at their cheque book. People who are passionate about giving never run out of places to put their resources in.
I wasn’t a big giver before. Because I wanted the money all to myself, I refuse to give an ounce of help to relatives or friends in need. It was during this time that I experienced a lot of debt too. God was correcting my selfishness by allowing me to struggle with money.
After that experience, I am now willing to help those in need. My heart feels lighter and better. Serving the Lord through the resources He has given me is worth it.
How Can I Manage My Resources Well?
I always advise clients two things on financial management:
1. Plan for the Future
The plans of the diligent lead to profit surely as haste leads to poverty.
Proverbs 21:5
It is always good to have a plan. You should prepare for unexpected expenses, unemployment, natural disasters, illnesses, and other emergencies.
Start by determining your financial goals:
What are your priorities? Do you already have insurance in case of unexpected events?
List down your goals and make small sacrifices to achieve them. All these sacrifices will pay off in the future. When I lost a lot of money due to my irresponsible spending habits, I had my insurance to turn back to. The amount was enough to cover for our family’s expenses while we got back up from our financial setback.
2. Be Organized
Declutter your finances by creating a payment system for your bills. Organize payments according to the urgency and synchronize your due dates with your cash flow by doing it on the 15th or 30th, or when you receive your income. Also, keep all your bills in one place so you’ll know where to find them. Manage your bills by putting them on a calendar or checklist so you won’t miss any dates.
God wants us to be wise with our resources. He doesn’t want money to be the lord over our lives. Instead, he wants us to live a joyful life by spending according to His will. It doesn’t mean scrimping or being too frugal. It means living within your means.
Living a minimalist beauty queen lifestyle requires knowledge of God’s purpose for your resources. It focuses on decluttering your finances so you can live a worry-free and minimalist life.
Learn how to become a responsible steward of God’s money. Consult with a minimalist coach who will help you break from unwise use of money God has provided. Start living a minimalist beauty lifestyle with your finances.