The Scriptures on Finances - Financial struggles can build faith

This week we will again look at material from the book “Managing God’s Money” by Randy Alcorn.

It is possible that times of financial struggle may be a way for God to build character in us. Sometimes times of prosperity will challenge believers to handle wealth so that it is a blessing and not a curse. When we let materialism have its way in our hearts we can become unhappy and anxious.

Matthew 6:31-34 states, “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”

Solomon told us that the abundance of a rich man permits him no sleep. Materialism ends in futility. Ecclesiastes 2:11 “But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless-like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.”

And in Ecclesiastes 5:10-11 Solomon said, “Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness! The more you have, the more people come to help you spend it. So what good is wealth-except perhaps to watch it slip through your fingers!”

People who hold tightly to God will loosen their grip on money and loosen money’s grip on them. Materialism can obscure many of life’s greatest blessings. Proverbs 11:4 states, “Riches won’t help on the day of judgment, but right living can save you from death.”

Materialism can make us independent and self-sufficient. We might not realize the true depth of our need when we have material needs and some wants met.

Materialism can also lead to pride. When we are materially prospering we may believe that we deserve credit for what we have and then grow both proud and thankless. Those who trust in their wealth instead of God grow more and more bold in their wickedness.

Sometimes materialism can promote both injustice and exploitation. It can also foster immorality and the breakdown of the family. Randy Alcorn says, “It’s not how much money we make that grabs hold of our hearts. It’s how much we keep.”

God gave material wealth to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Solomon, and Job because He approved of them. When God prospers us we need to remember Him.

When we suffer we need to remember that we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God. Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. It rains on the just and the unjust and God can send both prosperity and hardship on the just and unjust.

We possess both the privilege of trusting in Christ and the privilege of suffering for Him. I would much rather prosper than be persecuted but no servant is above his Master. John instructs us that we are no longer part of the world so the world hates us and will persecute us. Let’s make sure that it is the world that is persecuting Christians and not other Christians.

In this life we are to share His cross so that in the next life we will reign with Him. Paul got to the point where he discarded everything else and counted it as garbage so that he could gain Christ.

We need to wait for God to hand out the crowns based on His assessment of our faithfulness. The reward is for faithfulness.

By the grace of God let us remain faithful to the end.

May God bless you big.

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This is the 22nd column in a series by Kevin Barsotti, pastor at Ark Church in Havre, about financial matters and their treatment in the Christian faith.