Contributor: K. Wyatt

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused stress in many areas of our lives. One of those major areas is finances. Some individuals have been put out of work either temporarily or permanently. A few of us were lucky enough to be blessed with a $1200 stimulus check. And although we should be grateful for everything that we receive, it is hard to appreciate a $1200 check when you have been out of work for weeks to months amid a pandemic. Work and a steady income have stopped, but bills and other financial obligations continue to pile up. It may be hard to trust God during all of this, and some of us may wonder where God is right now. But God is here. He has always been here, and He is never leaving (Psalm 139:7-12). The same way we turn to God for support and guidance for our problems, we can turn to Him regarding our financial status. Here are five ways to improve your finances through God’s Word: 

1. Trust God. And I mean really trust God. We may say that we trust God and the plans He has for our lives, but our actions may say otherwise. Trust and believe that God will truly bless you financially. Pray often and give all your worries to Him, and everything else will fall into place. The saying goes, “if you pray, then don’t worry, and if you’re going to worry, then why pray?” God knows what He is doing. Let him handle it (Philippians 4:19).

• Educate yourself. Some of us weren’t taught financial literacy growing up. Now would be a great time to learn some concepts such as budgeting, credit, assets, and liabilities, etc. What you learn may help you to become more financially responsible when you begin working again. Or it may help you handle your finances better if you are still working. No one knows everything. You may find that you have made some mistakes with your finances, and that is okay. God wants us to be well informed, and He is willing to provide us with knowledge if we are willing to seek it (James 1:5).

• Hold yourself accountable. Learn how to look at yourself in the mirror and realize that there may have been times where you could have made better financial decisions. If we want God to bless us with bigger and better things, then we must be prepared to receive those things (Luke 16:10). You may be hoping and praying for a bigger salary, but are you really prepared to manage and budget with a bigger salary. To whom much given, much is required (Luke 12:48).

• Be content with what you have (Hebrews 13:5). Being content with what you have does not mean settling. It means that you trust God enough to utilize your spiritual gifts no matter where you are in life. So maybe amongst all the craziness right now, you decide to open a business or learn a new skill. Whatever it is, you do it full-heartedly, knowing that you are blessed, and that God loves you. And who knows what may happen after that? You may find yourself realizing your passion in life, which could lead to a new source of income.

• Save, save, save! Save what you can, whether it is a little or a lot. Save it. You never know when you are going to need it or have the opportunity to invest it. Of course, saving is easier said than done. But try to save anyway, even if you have to use the savings eventually. Getting into the habit of saving now will make it easier to save in the future when you have more to spare. A small change now could really make a big difference later in life (Proverbs 13:11).