Scroll, tap, buy. It’s that easy to make a purchase these days. And with the seemingly constant stream of advertisements selling us solutions to problems we didn’t know we had, it can be easy to spend on things we don’t need and barely want. My head spins when I think about all the money I’ve spent over the years on things I didn’t need or ended up not liking.
There’s a trend floating around social media that chalks poor spending habits up to being, “just a girl,” implying that it’s relatable and normal. It appears that this has become a common struggle among women of all walks of life. But what does God have to say about managing our finances?
How do we discern between wise and frivolous spending? How can we overcome the discontentment trap that keeps us buying things to fill a void? In a culture saturated with constant messaging to buy, we need a biblical framework to wisely steward the financial resources the Lord has blessed us with.
What is Healthy Spending?
God gives us money as not only a gift, but a tool. We have a wonderful opportunity to do His will with the resources He affords us, but this requires discipline of the mind and heart. In order to cultivate financial discipline, we must know what healthy and unhealthy spending look like.
In all honesty, I didn’t have a clue what healthy spending looked like until well into my twenties. Now that I’ve reached my thirties, I have a little life experience that’s taught me how to spend responsibly (not without pitfalls along the way, of course). I would say healthy spending, simply put, looks like making intentional choices that allow us to cover necessities, save, give, and invest. Scripture says, “The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.” (Prov. 21:20). In other words, the wise save up for the future, but fools spend all they earn.
According to a recent report, the average American woman spends 116.9% of her income. Overspending is the norm, it seems. But should we aspire to the norm, or to a higher calling? We believers are a peculiar people, so while our peers may be spending like congress with little regard for their financial wellness, we on the other hand should be budgeting diligently, because we know that all we have is from the Lord and ultimately belongs to Him.
According to research by Experian, the average American owes over $6,000 in credit card debt. There are varying schools of thought regarding debt, but as a Christian, I’m most concerned with what Scripture says about it. God in His wisdom tells us, “the borrower is slave to the lender.” (Prov. 22:7). Debt is often misused as a way to buy things we can’t actually afford, which the Gospel warns us about, saying, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” (Luke 14:28).
I was fortunate to get through my entire twenties without any debt. Even though I wasn’t particularly financially savvy, I knew debt wouldn’t serve me during that chapter of my life. Through budgeting and assessing our finances realistically and avoiding unnecessary or risky debts, we’re able to gain insight into our habits, build better ones, and put together a future we can look forward to. Managing our spending and avoiding needless debt are not outdated principles; they’re wise practices handed down to us from the Author of life and Creator of all.
Chasing Contentment
While our Lord loves seeing us doing worthy work and enjoying the fruits of our labor, He also loves seeing our hearts content and focused on Him in the process. I’ve learned that if I’m constantly spending and chasing my tail to afford material habits, there’s no room in my heart for contentment to grow. A wonderful and pertinent verse on this is Heb. 13:5, which says, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” This doesn’t mean we’re failures in God’s eyes when we do inevitably fall into discontentment and overspending, but it does require us to seek His guidance.
While we may live in a culture that normalizes overconsumption as a means to fulfillment, we also know that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Tim. 6:6). Contentment is not a product made in a factory and sold on Amazon; it’s a state of mind that comes from spiritual maturity. Pursuing contentment and financial freedom in the face of a culture hellbent on keeping us busy consumers is a necessary and sanctifying exercise in discipline and dedication to our faith. And I’ve found that, like any habit, it gets easier with practice and prayer.
Whenever I struggle to be content and want to spend money to fill a void, it helps to reflect on Christ’s unwavering contentment during times when He had nothing of monetary value—some nights not even a bed to sleep in. Christ is the ultimate example of a content heart, and He encourages us to fashion our own hearts after His.
All Under His Wings
No matter how discontented I may feel at times, I know the Father keeps me under the wing of His providence and that the peace He offers is unmatched by anything money can buy. Through this belief, I’ve found that I in fact need far less than our culture tells me I need. Whenever I’m met with messaging telling me to buy something, I take it as a challenge to go without it. And what a blessing it has been to practice going without—doing so joyfully and with confidence that God will bless my efforts to abide in Him.
The apostle Paul wrote, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Phil. 4:11–13). Wherever we find ourselves on our financial journeys, and whether we are in need or have plenty, let us continue to base our choices upon the foundation of God’s wisdom, and may our hearts remain content in the process.
