Headlines in recent weeks showcased stupefying market moves leading to GameStop’s stock surge and its subsequent shaking on Wall Street. Heavily shorted stocks experienced a surge in interest as GameStop stocks rose more than 1,000 percent. Bold winning and losing short selling bets yielded payoffs along with uncertainty about changes for the future generation of investors. Whether a professional investor, fiduciary expert or investing novice, trying to make sense of unexpected stock market changes raises questions for many regarding their financial future. Amid these unfolding developments, God’s Word offers us perspective to inform our relationship with money.

What Does the Bible Say about Finances?

Jesus loves us too much to not address the subject of money. He talked more about money and possessions than any single topic in the New Testament. Why? Money has a God-like power. It has the potential to provide stability and bring a measure of comfort and peace. While material blessing can be a gift from our Father, who knows what we need and desires to give good gifts, when our finances become a substitute for God, it can quickly become a source of anxiety.

Our relationship with money exposes where we place our trust. It reveals whether we hope in the created rather than the Creator God who desires to satisfy our every need. One could have little riches yet place their hope in and be obsessed with money, while one could be materially wealthy yet be free to be generous and serve God with their wealth. When our finances are enthroned in our hearts, like anything other than Christ, our constant affection is given to it. Jesus gently guides us with wisdom in assessing money’s importance, for “your heart will always be where your treasure is” (Matthew 6:21 CEV).

God understands what we need and, through his Word, guides us toward a healthy relationship with money that is rooted in his love and desire for our good.

God’s Word Influences Our Heart Posture Toward Money

Jesus addresses how to posture our hearts, regarding money:

You cannot be a slave of two masters; you will hate one and love the other; you will be loyal to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. This is why I tell you: do not be worried about the food and drink you need in order to stay alive, or about clothes for your body. After all, isn’t life worth more than food? And isn’t the body worth more than clothes? Look at the birds: they do not plant seeds, gather a harvest and put it in barns; yet your Father in heaven takes care of them! Aren’t you worth much more than birds? Can any of you live a bit longer by worrying about it? And why worry about clothes? Look how the wild flowers grow: they do not work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that not even King Solomon with all his wealth had clothes as beautiful as one of these flowers. It is God who clothes the wild grass—grass that is here today and gone tomorrow, burned up in the oven. Won’t he be all the more sure to clothe you? What little faith you have! (Matthew 6:24-30 GNT)

Placing our hope in God frees us from unnecessary worry about finances. This does not mean life will be free of financial trouble or uncertainty, but this trust in God positions us to experience peace knowing that God will provide for all our needs. Irrespective of what happens on Wall Street, blessing comes through maintaining a thankful heart that is untethered—a heart that is free to wisely steward material blessing. One outcome of this freedom is generosity that begets generosity. As 2 Corinthians 9:11 (GNT) tells us, “[God] will always make you rich enough to be generous at all times, so that many will thank God for your gifts…”

Let’s Pray Together

We praise you, Jehovah Jireh, for being our provider. You deeply care for our needs both spiritually and materially. Amid financial uncertainty, we recognize opportunity to trust you when we are tempted to worry. In financial blessing, we recognize opportunity to trust you when we are tempted to rely on wealth. In every season, may we learn the secret to being content. As Paul wrote, may we also declare, “I have learned to be satisfied with what I have. I know what it is to be in need and what it is to have more than enough. I have learned this secret, so that anywhere, at any time, I am content, whether I am full or hungry, whether I have too much or too little. I have the strength to face all conditions by the power that Christ gives me” (Philippians 4:11b-13 GNT). Amen.