If you’ve read my previous posts, The Point of it All, and Get Help!, you know by now that I believe financial wellness can’t usually be accomplished until you understand that your value comes from God, (spiritual connection), and that you have to un-learn life experiences that may have distorted that fact (mental healing). Then and only then can you can begin to act out on plans that you know to make sense (financial wellness).
Full disclosure, I do not have a get quick rich scheme to provide you. I only have my life lessons that may help you re-evaluate how you see yourself, and to control the one thing you can control, which is yourself. Financial wellness means you are a good steward over what you possess, regardless of how much you possess. A person with little income working a plan is better off than someone with more income, who’s buried in debt, and has no sound financial plan. It is not about how much you have, it is about making smart choices with what you have, that brings you financial wellness.
Imagine for a moment that you are a pilot preparing for your first solo flight. You have spent the requisite hours studying the course material and flying with a certified professional. When you show up to the airport, your instructor bids you well. You look around your hangar but you do not see a plane.
You need some income
God (the Source) has entrusted each of us with varying levels of different kinds of talents (resources). We will one day stand and account for all of the resources God has placed within our care. With respect to money, when we view ourselves as financial stewards (or guardians) of God’s resources, it becomes easier to do what He calls us to do with the things that belong to Him.
The instructor turns back and informs you that you will be piloting his plane, and you go to his hangar. You are unsure of your intended destination on this trip.
You need some goals
No matter how much money you have, you must have clearly identified goals for the money you earn. The simplest goal I had when I first became an income earner was to spend the same amount of money that I earned, no more and no less. Your goals can be your own, but at the very least, do not just earn money to spend it without having solid goals in place.
The instructor gives you a destination, and now you know where you are going. You chart a path towards your destination.
You need a b*dget
Yep, I said the b-word! Having a b*dget is mission critical before spending any money. If you have income and if you have goals for that income, then you need to consider what it will take to reach those goals. If you do not have enough income to reach your goals, you will need to consider what expenses are need to have, and which are nice to have. Remember, your value is not determined by what kind of car you drive, how expensive your rent is, how many subscriptions you have, what clothes you wear. Your value is given to you by God, and if you’ve got goals (hopefully God inspired), you will cut out things that don’t matter to get the things that do.
I am going to say it again: Creating a b*dget is mission critical. The Bible says, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it…” If the thought of having to face your own spending behavior is exhausting, daunting, terrifying—I urge you to suffer through those feelings and do it anyway. At some point, you will have to face the music and see how your habits are impeding progress on the goals you have set for your money.
After careful calculation, you realize that your charted path’s fuel consumption exceeds the plane’s fuel capacity. You go back to the instructor to consider an alternate path.
You need to revisit the b*dget
Changing conditions may require you to update, edit, or re-draft your b*dget in a way that keeps you focused on your goals. Additionally, your goals may need to change if your do not have enough income to cover your expenses, or if your income begins to exceed your expenses. The only way to know this for sure is to compare your b*dget to your actual spending, on a regular basis. A b*dget is a great way to hold yourself accountable and answer a difficult but necessary question: Am I really doing what I said I would do?
The instructor informs you that another passenger is going to the same destination, and will need to ride with you on what you thought was a solo mission.
You need to give
Giving affects you the giver as much as it does the recipient of the gift. It reminds you as the giver of the ownership of God’s resources, and your duty and willingness to serve as God has called each of us to do. Even if you do not have much to give, consider giving your time or talents to those who will benefit from it. Giving casts a spotlight onto your trust in God: if you can give generously, you trust that God has called you to do so, and that God will provide all that you need.
You jump in the cockpit, and just before takeoff, you ensure that the communication equipment between you and the instructor is in perfect working order.
You need to pray
God’s authority should govern every single area of our lives, and money is certainly no exception. Remember to acknowledge God in your planning and along every step of the path and He will set a lamp at your feet to guide you. If your finances are not in order as you hope they might be, I invite you to pray, plan, step out on faith, and try something new. This is not a promise that He will bless you with more resources, but if done earnestly, your heart will allow you to see what you already have in a whole new light.
I have come across so many people that have trouble with the concept of b*dgeting, and I am curious to know your opinion of it. Perhaps you have a great way to b*dget, and would like to share what you have learned, or perhaps you’re totally overwhelmed by the concept. However you feel about it, be sure to login and share your thoughts below!
