So they want to raise the debt ceiling?

I know it is in the news nearly every day. I am not sure if I completely understand what it all means or not what I do understand is that living bound to debt is not a healthy way to live. The stress debt places on a person. The worry, fear, and anxiety it can cause. The insecurity it raises in our lives, what if we are in debt and lose our job or have a health crisis?

What is debt? Different people define it different ways. Some say anytime you owe money you are in debt, others would exclude a mortgage from debt because in most cases houses are an investment and increase in value. For the sake of argument today, let’s just simply agree that if you spend money that you don’t have, on things that only decrease in value you have debt.

In most cases, debt shows either a lack of patience or lust out of control. We either don’t wait to save enough money to purchase the item or we must have the item and lust for the item drives us to debt.

The Bible is pretty clear about debt.

“The rich rules over the poor,
and the borrower is the slave of the lender.”
Proverbs 22:7

“Rich” is not necessarily a term of financial prosperity but can very well signify a person at peace with themselves and God. You don’t need lots of money to be wealthy; to have true wealth and riches you must have lots of peace and trust. Getting into unsecured debt shows a lack of trust in the Lord.

We are seeing that in part of the debate over the debt ceiling crisis in our nation. Do you know that we spend 118 billion dollars per month more than the government receives? You talk about lust and trust issues. Seems out of control doesn’t it. The average family in America has nearly $11,000 of credit card debt.
We will always live in a type of slavery if we do not come to the point of learning to trust the Lord with our finances. Debt is more of a spiritual issue than physical one. It is a mentality that has its roots it lust and fear, “Gotta’ have it” and “I need it” It can be broken in very simple ways.

1) Know that all your finances come from the Lord. Thank Him for them! An attitude of gratitude goes along way to break a cycle of fear.
2) Don’t complain about prices. God has supplied all that you have need of and will continue to supply. Determine to trust the Lord despite the increase at the pump or anywhere else.
3) Tithe – yes everything comes from God and your recognizing that enables you to be trusted with more. Your church may or may not need your funds but your need to tithe, showing the Lord that you are grateful for his supply and that you trust Him more than your ability to earn and income. God won’t let you down (see Malachi 3)

If you begin these few simple steps you will see an attitude change, a joy and peace released and more finances in your hands. Give yourself time to change. Change is never easy but often for the better. Our government will change if we can change. Complaining about the debt ceiling is not fair if we don’t have our debt under control.

God has a plan of freedom for every man, woman, and child. The freedom is spiritual of course but also physical, mental, and emotional. We can bring freedom to others as we are free.