Good day all. This is Day 2 of our adventure and I'm going back into the office today to tie up final lose ends for the year. Ultimately, I plan to be independently wealthy in the next 4-6 years, but in the mean time, I, like many of my single and married buddies, have to do what I have to do, until I can do what I really love. C'est la vie.
Over the past year I've been pondering off and on, something that was revealed to me in my prayer time a few years ago, when I had a job making barely liveable wages. I was crying uncontrollably, reminding God that He said in His word that He would "Rebuke the devourer for my sake" (Malachi 3:11). And I heard back from Him in my spirit, loud and clear, as if I was in some sort of echo chamber, "You are the devourer of your finances." I stopped crying immediately and sat down on the couch, stunned by this truth.
In hindsight, I guess I could have said, "Wow God - I'm making little to nothing, can barely pay my mortgage, and I'm eating, but nothing fancy and certainly not eating out or enjoying anything extracurricular -- but I'm the devourer???" I didn't say that, because I knew that what God said was the absolute truth. A series of bad career and other financial choices had landed me in my "then" circumstances, but I had many great financial opportunities. Immaturity is very costly.
Immaturity in life choices (friends, family, dating, marriage...) is bad enough, but immaturity in financial planning can cause a "snow ball" and eventual avalanche that can affect every area of our lives. So... it is imperative that we first recognize that we may well be that "devourer" of our finances and if that is true, change it.
No matter how much you make, you can make changes to your life to improve your financial circumstances. Start by educating yourself and developing a plan. I have several friends and colleagues who jetset around the planet living it up because they think that since they are making six-figures today that they'll never have to worry about money. Even if you never plan to marry or add to your family -- current circumstances are not guaranteed. "Stuff" happens. My former pastor once said that he knows that a family can live off one salary, because single parents do it all the time. But even as single parents, we can "Google" or "bing" a budget and financial planning template and begin today improving our lives and increasing our financial security. Even if you know that you had plans for the paycheck that is coming -- start today.
I paid a small fortune for a budget and financial planning program a few years ago and after reading through it, I realized that the principles were so simple, that I could have kept my money -- so I learned the principles and sold the program on eBay. I also bought a book about a year ago, You're Broke Because You Want To Be, by Larry Winget - one of my FBFs. If you want to get out of debt, save better for your future (an inheritance) and still intelligently plan your leisure and social life -- get that book. There are others that I have read that were helpful too.
Finally -- if you don't like how much you make -- make some changes. Take classes, consider a career change, start that business -- once you've gotten educated, that is -- but do something. Remember "Faith without works is dead" (James 2:20)-- Soooo... start working your faith - TODAY.
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