In Mark 11:24, Jesus says that if we ask we ask God for anything, believing that we have already received it, it shall be ours. But we also know that God’s will and our will don’t always mix, and sometimes He doesn’t give us the things we ask for because our own heart motives aren’t right (James 4:3). Because of these truths, we must be willing to accept that God’s desires for our money, our finances, may not always align with our own.
Sometimes, we try to do things our own way, going about it without any clear direction and ending up in debt. Yet God says that He won’t frustrate His work for the lack of money (Luke 22:35) and that we should rely on His leading in all our ways (Proverbs 3:5-6). In order to understand how God would have us use our finances, we must first understand what the Bible says about money.
How God Uses Money
Right off the bat, it’s important to recognize that money itself isn’t good or bad. Just like a car, a book, or a sword, it’s a neutral item that can be used in many different ways. Some abuse money, which often causes countless problems and pains, while others use it for good or God’s glory, which will be rewarded. As a simple medium of exchange, money can be used by the Lord for our benefit in a variety of ways.
God uses money to strengthen our trust in Him. This can happen no matter how many zeroes are in our bank account. God uses our finances to show us that He is in control while also using them to teach us how to be good stewards with it (Matthew 6:32-33). Ultimately, all wealth is God’s wealth, and He wants us to trust him with it.
God uses money to develop our trustworthiness. Since money has such power in our lives, whether we are making money, spending it, or saving it, God wants us to trust us with what He’s blessed us with already. Just like in the Parable of the Talents seen in Matthew 25:14-30, if He can trust us with what we already have, then He can give us greater responsibilities in the future (Luke 16:11).
God uses money to prove His love. Now this one might make you think that just because someone else has more money than you that God loves them more, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Rather, God has taken the responsibility upon Himself to provide for all of our basic needs (Matthew 7:11, Philippians 4:16). When we transfer our finances back to Him, He’ll often use that money to provide for all our needs.
God uses money to demonstrate His faithfulness. Since our security is in God and not the figures in our bank accounts, it’s paramount to recognize that even in our financial needs, we can rely on Him to provide. Just as Moses reminded Israel that it’s the Lord who gave them the ability to provide (Deuteronomy 8:17-18), so is that true of us today.
God uses money to unite Christians in blessings. God often uses the gifts of the church to supply for the needs of others, especially those in our own Christian circles. This was an area the early church thrived in and as Acts 4:32-35 records, they were completely willing to give of their own earthly possessions to help those in need.
God uses money to provide direction. In Proverbs 13:18 we’re warned that those who disregard discipline or guidance will fall into poverty. The amount of money we have can often dictate our path in life, and there’s no reason to believe that God can’t work through those needs like He does any other.
God uses money to cultivate self-control. One of the fruits of the Spirit that the Apostle Paul describes in Galatians 5:22-23 is self-control, which is sometimes translated as “long-suffering.” Proverbs 14:29 even reminds us that those who are impulsive are foolish. Like many things, God can use even our finances to develop self-control within us.
God uses money to clarify spiritual maturity. No matter if you’re paying back a debt you owe (Romans 13:8), working to provide for your family (1 Timothy 5:8), resisting the temptation to be greedy (Ephesians 5:5), or counting the cost of your next endeavor (Luke 14:28), God uses our finances to develop deep spiritual maturity.
How God Doesn’t Use Money
Since there are various ways in which God does use money for our benefit in our lives today, it’s important to note that there are also several ways in which God doesn’t use money. Let’s take a look at a few of these below…
God never uses money to worry us. If we’re worried, frustrated, or upset about money then we are not allowing God to be in control. Jesus makes it clear in Matthew 6:25 that He doesn’t want us to be worrying about the basic needs in our lives, instead promising to meet those needs Himself.
God never uses money to corrupt us. Many fall into Satan’s deceptions by making their biggest life decisions based on their true master: money. Yet, Jesus says in Matthew 6:24 that we can’t serve both God and money, we can only have one master. Christians who are recognized by their greed, ego, deceit, and other worldly traits are in opposition to both God and His greater plan.
God never uses money to build egos. Pride comes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18), and although some in this life may have more than others, it won’t last. In eternity with Christ, we’ll all receive greater riches based not on our financial status on Earth, but on His inheritance which He gives freely to us (Colossians 3:24, 1 Peter 1:4, Matthew 6:20-21).
God never allows money to satisfy our personal whims or desires. While God doesn’t necessarily expect His people to live in poverty, He also doesn’t support lavishness (Ecclesiastes 5:10, 1 Timothy 6:17-19). God wants us to use our abundance to bless others (Matthew 6:2-5), not waste it on our own desires or plans.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the Bible provides countless financial principles that we must use wisely to help not only make our lives more meaningful, but also to honor, serve, and obey the Lord with our money. Now that we better understand how God uses money and why He does so the ways in which He does, we can further recognize the plans and purposes that He has for our finances today. No matter how great or small our gifts may appear on the outside, God looks at the heart and understands our sacrifice (Mark 12:41-44).
1. Larry Burkett, Your Finances in Changing Times, Moody, 1975, pg. 43
2. http://www.crosswalk.com/family/fin
3. Larry Burkett, Your Finances in Changing Times, Moody, 1975, pp.45-47
4. https://www.journeynyc.com/god-money