ARE YOU FINANCIALLY IMBALANCED?

Getting Your Finances in Order

by Harvey Armour

You don’t have to be experiencing serious financial problems to be financially imbalanced.  Anyone -- the wealthy, the poor, and those in between -- may be financially imbalanced.

There are many factors that indicate the existence of financial imbalance.  In general, financial imbalance indicates giving either too much emphasis, or too little emphasis, to a specific financial matter.

For a medical doctor to be able to treat appropriately his patient so the patient can get well physically, the doctor must first learn the symptoms of the patient.  Similarly, for a Christian to be able to treat appropriately his (or her) own financial problems, that person must first learn if he (or she) has symptoms of financial imbalance that need to be healed (i.e., corrected).  Furthermore, symptoms of financial imbalance may not be just financial in nature – often, they are also spiritual.  Therefore, healing financial problems will frequently improve a Christian’s ability to serve God.

Listed below are a number of factors that reflect the lack of equilibrium in dealing with financial affairs. Do any of these factors apply to you?

1. Not trusting God to provide for the financial needs of you or your family. (Problem: Lack of faith)

    

2. Seeking happiness through the accumulation of material wealth.  (Problem: Misdirected effort)

    

3. Constantly wanting more material possessions.  (Problem: Greed)

    

4. Wanting the material things that others have.  (Problem: Coveting)                  

    

5. Being bitter for not having more material possessions.  (Problem: Resentment)

    

6. Having an attitude of superiority because you possess greater material wealth than many other people.  (Problem: Financial conceit)

7. Not contributing to Christian ministry as God has blessed you.  (Problem: Robbing God)

                                        

8. Not helping people who have genuine financial needs, despite your ability to do so. (Problem: Lack of compassion) 

                           

9. Giving greater importance to the accumulation of material wealth than to God or to your family.  (Problem: Improper priority)

    

10. Depriving other members of your family of things they need so you can acquire things that you want or desire.  (Problem: Selfishness)

     

11. Promoting your own financial interests to the detriment of others.  (Problem: Self-serving)

     

12. Using deception in financial matters.  (Problem: Deceit)

     

13. Not doing all you can to pay your bills on time.  (Problem: Untrustworthiness)

     

14. Not being truthful with your creditors or others with whom you have financial dealings.  (Problem: Dishonesty)

     

15. Not making diligent efforts to prevent the balances on your debts from continuing to rise.  (Problem: Slackness)

     

16. Not doing the necessary financial planning for you or your family.  (Problem: Shirking responsibility)

     

17. Making financial decisions on the basis of near-term wants or desires.  (Problem: Shortsightedness)

     

18. Desiring immediate gratification of wants or desires, or to get rich quickly without much effort.  (Problem: Impatience)

     

19. Not having an adequate savings strategy for yourself or your family.  (Problem: Imprudence)

     

20. Not having discipline with regard to personal or family spending.  (Problem: Lack of self-control)

     

21. Having too many personal or family financial commitments.  (Problem: Financial ensnarement)

     

22. Being persistently anxious about personal or family financial matters.  (Problem: Worry)

If you have any of these financial imbalances in your life, you are encouraged to learn more about personal or family financial management so you will be better able to meet your financial responsibilities to God, to your family, and to others.

Check the following scriptures if you would like to learn what the Bible says about matters related to the financial imbalances mentioned in this article:

Put God before material wealth

• Matthew 6: 19-21, 24

• Luke 12: 16-21, 34

• I Timothy 6: 10

Seek God’s will in financial matters

• James 4: 13-15

Don’t trust in material wealth

• Ecclesiastes 5: 10

• Proverbs: 11: 28a

Don’t seek quick material wealth

• Proverbs 21: 5

• Proverbs 28: 20, 22

Avoid financial ensnarement

• Proverbs 15: 16

Don’t covet

• Luke 12: 15

• Hebrews 13: 5

God will provide for your needs

• Matthew 6: 25-34

• Philippians 4: 19

You are responsible for paying your debts

• Psalm 37: 21

Don’t be dishonest

• Proverbs 13: 11a

Avoid slackness

• Proverbs 10: 4

Don’t have an attitude of financial superiority

• Romans 12: 3

• I Timothy 6: 17

• Proverbs 16: 18

Give financially to God’s work

• I Corinthians 16: 2

• Malachi 3: 8

Give financially to help needy people

• II Corinthians 8: 12-14

• I John 3: 17

You are responsible for providing for the needs of your family

• I Timothy 5: 8

Copyright 2001 by Harvey Armour.  If you have any questions or comments about this article, contact Harvey Armour at harveyarmour@yahoo.com.  Mr. Armour desires to provide helpful insights from a Christian perspective on financial matters and difficult biblical matters.  The information provided with regard to articles on personal or family money management is not intended to replace professional advice.  Please consult with your own independent attorney and tax accountant to review and approve your financial decisions.