When the markets are volatile and the “experts” on the news have nothing to add but doom and gloom, one emotion tends to rise to the top: fear.
It’s extremely easy to let our fears take over in uncertain times and to worry that we won’t have the resources that we need. How do we respond when fear takes over and it feels like things are out of control?
First, turn off the news and back away from the remote! Let me take you to back to a spring day many years ago.
Imagine you’re sitting on a grassy hillside. There are tons of other people all around you. There is excitement and expectation in the air, you can almost feel it.
The sun is bright and warm but there’s a breeze that feels fresh and cool on your face. As you look around the hillside you nice the beautiful, colorful spring wildflowers popping up between the people seated on the grass.
Overheard, birds dip and dive in the breeze, joyfully chasing each other. Fluttering carefree in the spring sunshine.
You see a small group of men talking and looking around the crowd. They also sit down, except for one. It’s him. Jesus.
“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?
And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:25-33)
You look around again at the birds and flowers around you, seeing them in a new light.
Do. Not. Be. Anxious.
Why?
Suddenly, you remember what Jesus said moments before:
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” (Matthew 6:19-24)
Where is my trust? Where is my devotion? Is my trust in the assets I have built up or is my trust in God?
Our trust should be in God. He knows what we need, He loves us, and He will provide what we need. Seek Him first.
Does this mean that we don’t need to do anything? Can we sit back and let God just hand us what we need? Can we just skip investing or is it even unbiblical?
No, we need to read this passage in light of the whole of Scripture. God requires good stewardship (Matthew 25:14-30). Among other things, the Bible teaches the wisdom of saving (Proverbs 13:11, 10:4-5), planning ahead (Proverbs 21:5, Ecclesiastes 11:2), and the need to work (Genesis 2:15, 1 Timothy 5:8).
So, if Jesus’ teaching does not free us from some responsibility to act as wise stewards, then what does it free us from?
Idolatry and worry. It frees us from worshiping and trusting money to save us. It frees us to worship and trust the one true God.
Yes, we need to act wisely with our finances, but we don’t need to worry. We trust a God who is sovereign and loves us.
Things like the global economy and the stock market are outside of your control. But they are not outside of God’s sovereignty.
Yes, meet with a financial advisor to develop a wise plan for saving, investing, and retirement income. When things feel scary and out of control, turn to the One who loves you, knows what you need, and promises to take care of you.
If you’re feeling worried or uncertain about your finances and you don’t have a trusted advisor to talk to, give us a call. Not only can we help you develop a personalized financial plan and faith-based investing strategy, but we are Believers like you. We love praying with our clients and journeying together as we seek to love and serve God.
If that sounds like the kind of financial partner you’re looking for, give us a call!
Call us today! (540) 345-3891
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