You do not need 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.

The following is a list of factors that reflect the lack of equilibrium in dealing with financial affairs. How many of these factors apply to you?

  1. Not trusting God to provide for the financial needs of you and your family. (Problem: Lack of faith)
  1. Seeking happiness through the accumulation of material wealth. (Problem: Misdirected effort)
  1. Constantly wanting more material possessions. (Problem: Greed)
  1. Wanting the material things that others have. (Problem: Coveting)
  1. Being bitter for not having more material possessions. (Problem: Resentment)
  1. Having an attitude of superiority because you possess greater material wealth than many other people. (Problem: Financial conceit)
  1. Not contributing to Christian ministry as God has blessed you. (Problem: Robbing God)
  2. Not helping people who have genuine financial needs, despite your ability to do so. (Problem: Lack of compassion)
  1. Giving greater importance to the accumulation of material wealth than to God or to your family. (Problem: Improper priority)
  1. Depriving other members of your family of things they need so that you can acquire things that you want or desire. (Problem: Selfishness)
  1. Promoting your own financial interests to the detriment of others. (Problem: Self-serving)
  1. Using deception in financial matters. (Problem: Deceit)
  1. Not doing all you can to pay your bills on time. (Problem: Untrustworthiness)
  1. Not being truthful with your creditors or others with whom you have financial dealings. (Problem: Dishonesty)
  1. Not making diligent efforts to prevent the balances on your debts from continuing to rise. (Problem: Slackness)
  1. Not doing the necessary financial planning for you or your family. (Problem:   Shirking responsibility)
  1. Making financial decisions almost exclusively on the basis of near-term wants or desires. (Problem: Shortsightedness)
  1. Desiring immediate gratification of wants or desires and/or to get rich quickly without much effort. (Problem: Impatience)
  1. Not having an adequate savings strategy for yourself and your family. (Problem:   Imprudence)
  1. Not having discipline with regard to personal or family spending. (Problem: Lack of self-control)
  1. Having too many personal or family financial commitments. (Problem: Financial ensnarement)
  1. Being persistently anxious about personal and/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 and family financial management, so you will be better able to meet your financial responsibilities to God, to your family, and to others.

[To learn what the Bible says about matters related to the financial imbalances mentioned in this article, check the Appendix that follows.]

Appendix

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

Do not trust in material wealth:

  • Ecclesiastes 5: 10
  • Proverbs: 11: 28a

Do not seek to quickly get material wealth:

  • Proverbs 21: 5
  • Proverbs 28: 20, 22

Avoid financial ensnarements:

  • Proverbs 15: 16

Do not covet:

  • Luke 12: 15
  • Hebrews 13: 5

Trust God to provide for your needs:

  • Matthew 6: 25-34
  • Philippians 4: 19

Honor your responsibly to pay your debts:

  • Psalm 37: 21

Do not be dishonest:

  • Proverbs 13: 11a

Avoid slackness:

  • Proverbs 10: 4

Do not have an attitude of financial superiority:

  • Romans 12: 3
  • I Timothy 6: 17
  • Proverbs 16: 18

Give financially to organizations that serve God:

  • I Corinthians 16: 2
  • Malachi 3: 8

Give financially to help needy people:

  • II Corinthians 8: 12-14
  • I John 3: 17

Accept the responsibility to provide for the needs of your family:

  • I Timothy 5: 8