Victoria Everleigh
God will provide.
It’s a very popular saying when it comes to finances and money. But it can get a bad rap because it almost sounds like God is taking the responsibility away from us to provide for ourselves. Not so – let’s explore!
What it doesn’t mean:
- lay in bed and money will appear
- quit your job on a whim
- the bills will pay themselves
- spend wrecklessly and expect strangers/family to support you
- someone else will pay your debts
- a job will fall into your lap with no work on your part
1) God will provide
This kind of implies that God isn’t providing now or hasn’t provided yet but will in the future when it’s needed. That’s just not true. God is providing right here and right now.
You have life because of Him. You’re reading this post so it must mean that you’re alive and you have functioning eyes/glasses/contacts and you learned how to read in school and you have a WiFi connection or data.
Not only is he providing now, but he’s been providing since you came into existence! I encourage you to reflect on all the things he’s provided. Perhaps it’s your family, church, friends, coworkers, neighbors, food, clothes, etc.
We can know God will provide because He says He will and He always has.
2) God will provide
It seems like this phrase could continue – God will provide what? Many people think the missing word is “money.”
But I think it’s lacking a word (a direct object, if you will) because there is no guarantee in terms of what He tangibly provides.
I think it’s easy (and tempting) to fall into the mindset of, “I’m in ministry/doing God’s work, therefore I’m His employee and He will pay me.” If that were true, maybe we’d all make a career out of evangelizing.
So what will He provide?
First, God provides in all the ways people and Earthly possessions can’t: through perfect love. No person knows us as intimately and requires nothing of us like God does.
Ok, so maybe you’re thinking, “That’s great, but it doesn’t pay my mortgage.” (That’s what I’d probably be thinking!)
That’s true, but to live life from the foundational belief that God loves you, wants what’s best for you and won’t abandon you will free you up to live with peace and go out and do the necessary things to provide for yourself.
God is providing you the means by which to earn money. He gave you natural gifts (for free) so that you can cultivate and use them to earn money, therefore providing for yourself (and your family).
He’s also providing people, some you know already and some you have yet to meet, who will help you. Think of a time you met someone at just the right moment and they connected you to a job or apartment you wanted. Think of the person who set you and your spouse up. Think of the Good Samaritan who saw you in pain and offered help – or that conversation with a family member that finally made you realize everything will be OK. We’re made for connection with others and this is one of the greatest way God provides.
He might also provide by not giving you what you want. There was a job I really wanted a few years ago, but I didn’t get it. I was living paycheck to paycheck so it was hard to see why God wouldn’t let it happen. In hindsight, I’m so grateful because it opened my mind to other opportunities that were a better fit!
Sometimes God will provide in the form of money via someone in your life! It doesn’t always happen that way, but I try to be extra grateful when it does.
This I know with my heart: God will always provide circumstances under which we can grow closer to Him and experience His love.
God can’t be limited in the ways He provides.
Getting Practical
But we also have to get practical because this might sound comforting now, but what does it look like in real life?
When it comes to money/budgeting, the math has to add up. No one would expect to lose weight if they’re over-eating by 1000 calories per day. Likewise, you shouldn’t expect your bank account to grow or your debt to go away if you’re spending more than you make.
“Pray as if everything depends on God; work as if everything depends on you.”
If you’re working, living within your means, and saving for your future/emergencies, then you will be just fine financially (barring a major crisis). If budgeting or living within your means is difficult, this is the time to get honest with yourself & look for resources God is already providing.
Ask Him Directly
One thing I’ve learned over the last few months is that I’ve expected too little of Jesus. He wants to be our Savior. He loves rescuing us. So why not ask Him directly – and have an honest conversation about what’s going on and how frustrated you are.
I recently did 33 Days to Morning Glory, and I learned that Mary, the spouse of the Holy Spirit, wants to intercede for us and bring us closer to her Son. She has these graces she’s wants to shower us with, but needs us to ask for them!
Dear readers, please talk with Jesus and Mary and tell them what you want and need. You will be taken care of.
Take to prayer:
- What am I spending on that’s essential?
- What is non-essential?
- Do I need to make more money to afford the lifestyle I want or to pay off my debt more quickly?
- If I need more money for my lifestyle, will I find more work or scale back my lifestyle?
Look for resources
- Church groups offering help with resumes, job searches and interviewing
- Money classes at the library
- Personal finance books at the library
- Family members or friends who have their financial life in order & can mentor you
- Free apps like Mint and Clarity to help you budget, save and stay on top of bills
Objections
As I write this, I think of the counter argument – “So why didn’t God provide for Jane Doe when her house was in foreclosure?” Or “Why didn’t God step in to keep John Deere from defaulting on his loans?”
Those are good questions and I can’t answer them. Somehow those events work into God’s plan. He can write straight with crooked lines and He wouldn’t allow something bad to happen if He couldn’t bring good out of it.
So maybe the story for Jane Doe continues that the foreclosure was a wake-up call and motivated her to switch careers and learn how to manage her money more effectively. Further, maybe in this process she met people who became great friends. In the end, you can see that God allowed the foreclosure to happen and then He provided an opportunity for Jane to become a better version of herself.
God Never Leaves You
I don’t know what God will provide you, but I know it will be something. It may not be in the form (money) you were hoping, but He never abandons.