Budgeting

There have been so many times that we’ve stumbled over our words, because our thoughts were not clear. We couldn’t see them on paper, because we never took the time to write it down (Habakkuk 2:2). Can you think back to your wasteful moments? Simply because you did not take the time to lay out what needed to get accomplished during the day. There was no plan.

The same concept goes for money. Without a plan, we can find ourselves wasting the resources God has given us. Because we weren’t paying attention, we weren’t reflecting and we weren’t planning.

Before going any further, don’t let the word “budget” scare you away. All a budget does is account for the money that comes in and the money that goes out. It’s not so much a math thing as it is a behavioral thing. How we handle money is 20% knowledge and 80% behavior. You control your budget. Your budget does not control you. It is a roadmap, a guide, a plan.

When we think back to the times we had no sense of direction… being all over the place with no order, we realize it was probably because we did not first sit down and count the cost. Our God is not a god of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). Sometimes, you have to tell yourself: “You will never get to where you’re going, if you don’t first know where you are” (Luke 14:28-29).

A budget helps us stay the course. See, when we operate without being intentional, we become empty. When we bring our tithe and offering to the Lord without thanksgiving, without praise, without taking hold of the promises He made to us, then it’s just another ritual leaving us hungry. 

As followers of Christ, every step we take must be intentional. Our diligence leads to outcomes and abundance. But our impulse and lack of planning leads to loss (Proverbs 21:5). And it’s no different when it comes to our personal finances. Be intentional about what you’re bringing in. Be intentional about what you’re spending and why you’re spending it. Because the times of abundance will not last forever. What we do while we prosper will dictate how we get through the trying times. When we know the state we’re in, we prepare for the state we want to be in, and we prepare for the state we could be in (Proverbs 27:23-27).

 One of the many things we can appreciate about the Bible is how much it applies to daily living in this century. God knows our thoughts. God knows our wants. God knows our struggles. But He also knows what we need. If we follow His word, He says He will make a way. He is faithful to those who are faithful to Him. Even with the little things. Let’s follow His instruction, because no matter what… God knows.