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How To Succeed Financially Without Failing Spiritually

Topic Stewardship
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How To Succeed Financially Without Failing Spiritually

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Financial success often leads to spiritual failure and none of us are immune. But the way out begins with understanding how the cycle of success works and why so many smart people who've "made it" lose what matters most.

1. Work

Success begins with hard work. Christians know that God is a worker and he made us to work too. And the result of hard work is we often prosper. The Bible says, "The hand of the diligent makes rich." (Proverbs 10:4) 

2. Prosper

But when the money rolls in, we begin to subtly think, “It’s my money, I earned it.” This mindset is natural, but unknowingly it spirals us inward. We find ourselves inclined to settle down, like the rich fool in Jesus' parable, who said to himself, "You have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry." (Luke 12:19)

3. Rest

This rest we seek is not a pause before we get back in the game. It's a withdrawal. "This is my time to golf, travel, fish, shop, watch TV, and be entertained. I've earned it, " we think. Others may even applaud us for our wise financial management, but this self-focused disengagement spirals us further inward. 

4. Forget

Wealth can blind us from our need for God. We no longer seek God and his kingdom first. Instead, like the Pharisees, we have tried to serve God and money. Like the Israelites, we have not listened to God's warning: "Take care lest you forget the LORD your God... lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up and you forget the Lord your God... Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.' " (Deuteronomy 8:11-17)

5. Sin

Like Eve, we've seen created things as "a delight to the eyes" and desirable "to make one wise." (Genesis 3:6) It may be comfort or security that we've chased. For some its luxury and pleasure. Others of us have wanted to prove ourselves as successful and earn an identity. So we bite, exchanging created things for our Creator God. We become lovers of self, lovers of money, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. We have an appearance of godliness, but inwardly we deny it's power. (2 Timothy 3:2-5) We may go to church, but like a flame in the wind our passion for God has gone out and we wonder how we lost it. We may not openly reject Jesus, we've just wandered away from the faith. (1 Timothy 6:10)

A Better Way

This cycle of success has sunk so many men and women before us, but there is a better way. God offers us a way that spirals us outward toward God and others and it begins with rest.

1. Rest

Many business people are working for the hope of rest one day. Behind their intense drive and performance is the hope of a day when they succeed so much that they can finally rest. But Christians are people who don't work for rest, we work from rest. In God's top ten list we find a surprising command to "not do any work" one day a week. God wants to give us a great gift of rest, but many of us have not yet learned to receive it. We strive and hustle like orphans, when God invites us to trust him like children of a great father. The Sabbath is a weekly rhythm God has instituted to remind us that he is in control of our lives and "it is he who gives you the power to get wealth." (Deuteronomy 8:18)

2. Worship

One of things we do on the Sabbath is worship God. In the Bible, King David is known as the bold youth who defeated Goliath, but also as a song writer who loved God. This man after God's own heart wrote nearly half of the 150 Psalms in our Bible. And as we read David's songs, he continually calls us to "Sing praises to the Lord." Worship reverses our natural tendency to be consumed with ourselves and our work. Singing helps us put God back in the center of our lives, where he belongs. In worship, we see and remember that Jesus is more valuable than any success, achievement, or treasure we could ever pursue.

3. Work

Out of rest and worship, we then work hard. God made us to work. Our lives are to be living sacrifices to God, and for 40+ hours a week that looks like showing up to work, serving our clients, leading our team, increasing our sales, growing our company, and honoring our employers. (Romans 12:1) Our work done well is another form of worship. (Colossians 3:23) We don’t work primarily to get money. We work to use the gifts God has given us to serve others, provide for our families, and fulfill the good works God prepared for our lives. (Ephesians 2:10)

4. Prosper

Often when we serve others well and solve important problems we'll prosper. But as we do we're prepared to acknowledge that the money God gives us belongs to him: "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the Lord of hosts." (Haggai 2:8) We hold wealth with open hands, rather than closed fists. And as we open our hands God will open our eyes to see the needs of leaders, churches, ministries, missionaries, the poor and hurting around us. Instead of building our own kingdoms on earth, we'll ask God how we can join him in building his kingdom.

5. Give

We won't use our money to withdraw and escape into a lives of pleasure and ease. We'll use God’s money to be rich in good works, generous and ready to share. (1 Timothy 6:17-18) Giving will become a passion for us because we love God and love people and want to help people know God. We'll make friends for ourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive us into the eternal dwellings. (Luke 16:9) We'll live with a heartbeat of generosity and show the world what our Father in heaven is like. 

6. Rejoice

Finally, when we give, we'll experience one of the purest joys on earth. This joy of being God's channel to bless other people and advance the gospel will reinvigorate our work. In fact, we'll find greater purpose and motivation to work than we've ever experienced before. Long hours and heavy responsibility will be acts of love that are connected to an eternal mission. We'll find that instead of living for weekends, vacations, or retirement, our work will be one of the primary things we do to worship God and our joy will grow more and more.


This is the better way: Rest, Worship, Work, Prosper, Give, Rejoice...

and repeat it all over again next week.

Illustrated by John-Mark Warkentin

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