Prayers about money

A few years back, a survey was conducted of people about their money habits and plans for the future.  One particular question focused in how much more money the person thought they would need to live “comfortably”.  To the surprise of the researchers, a near-universal answer came from the respondents.  The same amount was the top response of those who annually made $20k, $40k, $60k, $80k, or $100k.  Their answer:

$10,000 more

There was no “magic salary” number that everyone aimed for.  The researchers expected to hear that “if I just made 80k (or 100k), I’d be alright”.  Instead, they found that, overall, people saw themselves “just a little bit short” of their desired level for comfort. 

Are you surprised?  I was, at first.  But when I stopped to think about it…my early career salary is different from my current salary by more than $10k, and if you had asked me the same question at any point in the years between, I probably would have given a similar “just a little bit more” answer.  No massive new salary number (I don’t want to be considered ‘greedy’…), but an extra $10k?  Sign me up!

But what happens when we get that “little bit more” and then a few years later a “little bit more” than that?  As we allow our lifestyle to expand with our income, each raise becomes the new normal for us to want “just a little bit more”.

So, what’s a Christian to do with this slow slide into never being satisfied with what we have?

Paul gave Timothy a warning we should all take to heart:

1 Timothy 6:6-10
But godliness with contentment is great gain.  For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out.  If we have food and clothing, we will be content with these. 

But those who want to be rich fall into temptation, a trap, and many foolish and harmful desires, which plunge people into ruin and destruction.  For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, and by craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

We should certainly enjoy what God has given us, but if we love the gift more than the Giver…we’re playing with fire, and we’re going to get burned.  Don’t think that poor handling of money is an indication that we are not part of God’s family – it’s not – but if our focus is wanting to be rich we’re definitely wandering away from the life God intends us to live here and now.  That path is full of self-inflicted wounds and many griefs.

Ok…so we’ve been warned, but what should we do to guard against this?

There is a proverb-prayer example, offered by a man name Agar.  He has two requests for God, and his second request provides an antidote to our money temptations:

Proverbs 30:7-9
Two things I ask of you; don’t deny them to me before I die:

Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me.

Give me neither poverty nor wealth; feed me with the food I need.

Otherwise, I might have too much and deny you saying, “Who is the Lord?”
or I might have nothing and steal, profaning the name of my God.

Have you ever prayed that God would restrict or restrain the amount of financial blessing He provides to you?  Would you honestly be able to pray something like this?

God please don’t give me too much, don’t provide so much that I begin to think that I am the root cause of my prosperity.  I also trust you to provide enough to meet my needs so that I will not be tempted to commit a crime just to have the basics covered.

Living in between the extremes of poverty and wealth creates a livable tension for us – we have our basic needs provided for and we still recognize God’s authority over it all.  As we handle this tension, God may bless us with more resources…or He may not. 

But humbly asking God to keep our salary in check focuses our mind on the Giver, not the gift.  And that kind of prayer will certainly keep us out of the “just a little bit more” trap.

Keep Pressing,
Ken