Responding Biblically to Economic Emergencies
Imagine a fire alarm going off. That obnoxious noise is sudden, jarring, and altogether intrusive. It's unexpected, loud, and definitely something that we hadn't planned for. And it's a reminder that life has a way of sending us surprise events, things we we didn't count on, things we weren't planning for.
For most of us, the recent economic crisis has been similar. It's been loud. It's been intrusive. It's been disruptive. It's been most unwelcome. It's interrupted our plans, and we weren't expecting it.
Trust the Word of God
A lot of people have been completely caught off guard by what's been happening in our economy over the last number of weeks and months. As a Christian wife, I am one of them. Maybe you are too. Today, and in the next two entries here at Chrysalis, I want to share some encouragement. We need to bolster our trust in the Lord, and we must choose to cling to His promises.
Imagine a fire alarm going off. That obnoxious noise is sudden, jarring, and altogether intrusive. It's unexpected, loud, and definitely something that we hadn't planned for. And it's a reminder that life has a way of sending us surprise events, things we we didn't count on, things we weren't planning for.
For most of us, the recent economic crisis has been similar. It's been loud. It's been intrusive. It's been disruptive. It's been most unwelcome. It's interrupted our plans, and we weren't expecting it.
Trust the Word of God
A lot of people have been completely caught off guard by what's been happening in our economy over the last number of weeks and months. As a Christian wife, I am one of them. Maybe you are too. Today, and in the next two entries here at Chrysalis, I want to share some encouragement. We need to bolster our trust in the Lord, and we must choose to cling to His promises.
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matt 6: 25-27 NIV)
Who Wears the Pants?
We also need to remember that if we are married, we must submit to the loving leadership of our husband in the area of our finances. It is our husband's job to shoulder the burden of providing for our family, not ours. Our responsibility is to support and follow him in that endeavor. We must resist the temptation to wrestle him for control.
Listen to the late Larry Burkett of Crown Financial Ministries on this topic:
"...the burden of maintaining a trouble free, financially sound, spiritually mature, and cooperatively considerate household is the responsibility of the husband/father. 'He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to mange his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)'
(1 Tim 3:4-5). The wife's responsibility is to support her husband and honor him by following his direction—as opposed to nagging and belittling. Sometimes she needs to be willing to suffer with him and to let him fail if necessary without judging (1 Pet 3:1)."
"God never intended for a wife and mother to function under the pressures of and to carry the loads intended for husbands and fathers. When husbands repudiate their responsibilities and subject their wives to the stress of having to shoulder those burdens, her anxiety increases and the family will lack sustaining cohesiveness.
...unless it is impossible or impractical, a husband should not demand that his wife assume the responsibility of negotiating with creditors or keeping the bill collectors satisfied. She may pay the bills, if they have agreed that she is more quailified to act as the family bookkeeper. However, she has too much to be concerned with maintaining the home, working (if she has a job), and being a mother to be hampered with the stress associated with things that the husband should accept as his responsibility."
A Wife's Active Role
"For a wife to be submissive does not mean she must remain silent or give in to every word, whim or desire of her husband. She needs to take an active part in family planning, financial planning, discipline of children, decision making, and family goals." Read the entire article, "Financial Authority" and discover four financial areas in which wives need to play an active role.
We also need to remember that if we are married, we must submit to the loving leadership of our husband in the area of our finances. It is our husband's job to shoulder the burden of providing for our family, not ours. Our responsibility is to support and follow him in that endeavor. We must resist the temptation to wrestle him for control.Listen to the late Larry Burkett of Crown Financial Ministries on this topic:
"...the burden of maintaining a trouble free, financially sound, spiritually mature, and cooperatively considerate household is the responsibility of the husband/father. 'He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity (but if a man does not know how to mange his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?)'
(1 Tim 3:4-5). The wife's responsibility is to support her husband and honor him by following his direction—as opposed to nagging and belittling. Sometimes she needs to be willing to suffer with him and to let him fail if necessary without judging (1 Pet 3:1)."
"God never intended for a wife and mother to function under the pressures of and to carry the loads intended for husbands and fathers. When husbands repudiate their responsibilities and subject their wives to the stress of having to shoulder those burdens, her anxiety increases and the family will lack sustaining cohesiveness.
...unless it is impossible or impractical, a husband should not demand that his wife assume the responsibility of negotiating with creditors or keeping the bill collectors satisfied. She may pay the bills, if they have agreed that she is more quailified to act as the family bookkeeper. However, she has too much to be concerned with maintaining the home, working (if she has a job), and being a mother to be hampered with the stress associated with things that the husband should accept as his responsibility."
A Wife's Active Role
"For a wife to be submissive does not mean she must remain silent or give in to every word, whim or desire of her husband. She needs to take an active part in family planning, financial planning, discipline of children, decision making, and family goals." Read the entire article, "Financial Authority" and discover four financial areas in which wives need to play an active role.
Related
- 10 Tips for Frugal Living by Chrysalis
- Prosperity and Pain by Troubledwith.com. One family finds blessings in the midst of incredible financial trials.
- Talking to Kids About the Financial News
by Commonsensemedia.org
What is the Lord teaching you about your finances?"Is it true that we can trust the eternal welfare of our souls to God and cannot trust to him the temporal welfare of our bodies?"—Benjamin B. Warfield
Photo: Reznicek111 & malla (Flickr)
16 Comments:
Amen eMom. Great post. I love the easy way you spelled it all out.
Women, relax, pray and let the guys handle it.
I will need to come back and read more... we are in financial crisis ourselves... We are literally starting over financially... So I will certainly need to view your information.... Blessings...
He is teaching me to trust him in all things! Steve and I have a pretty good relationship when it comes to finances. He is our money guy, but we do talk about things. In the end though he makes the decision.
thanks for the post....Yesterday I sat down and wrote out all our debt (total due each month and total balance for all) It was an eye opener to have it on paper and see how much is here or how little is left on this one...
I honestly am annoyed by the economic crisis....People are definitely playing the blame game for reasons none other than they don't want to admit they messed up. I see no near end in sight b/c it is such a large hole we have fallen into...BUT myself and my family have learned to live wtih less and in all actuallity we are HAPPIER for it...
An awesome post full of Biblical wisdom!
God is constantly reminding us to be good stewards of what we have been given.
More importantly, He's showing us the benefits of tithing. Over the past several years we have seen that God can do much more with the 10% we give than the 90% we keep.
e-Mom,
This post is excellent and timely. In fact, specific to me. I can't thank you enough for these words of wisdom and encourgement. The Bible is so very wise on how we should navigate rought financil times and also how a wife needs to support her husband. Thank you ... Thank you... Thank you..
Jan: Yes... all of the above, plus as you've said, we must pray!
Michelle: I will keep you in prayer. Hang on to the truths of his Word. Allow your husband to be an umbrella of protection over you.
A Stone Gatherer: Sounds like you have it all figured out. Amen!
Ruth: Thanks for stopping by. ...myself and my family have learned to live wtih less and in all actuallity we are HAPPIER for it... That's good news!
Andrea: Wonderful! Keep up your regular tithing. :~D
Lynn: I will keep you in prayer, dear friend. Business people (my husband included) are feeling the crunch right now. Let's keep our eyes on Him and not lose heart. You're a true treasure! Love 'n hugs.
The one main thing that God has taught my husband (and Dave has re-taught me!) is that by GIVING with a CHEERFUL heart, we will be blessed. Not necessarily financially but always spiritually. We are blessed that Dave has a good stable job. We are blessed that I can choose to teach part time. BUT....if all that was stripped away, my husband says we would still have to give. Our actual tithe might go down, but we need to be good stewards of ALL: time, money, house, children, ministry, hospitatlity, etc.
And we try to apply practical things like using coupons, cutting back on dining out, renting movies vs. paying for $10.00 movie mall tickets, buying generic, etc. We also believe in paying off bills and not just the minimal due. We save for big ticket items like new appliances, cars, etc.
I believe part of the problem in this country is that (especially the younger 40 crowd, no offense to them) have been so used to instant gratification that now, when times are tougher, they don't know how to deal. They just HAD to have the huge new house, the biggest cars, the fancy vacations and well....we reap what we sow don't we??
funny you posted about this, my goal this year is to get rid of our debt (or considerably make a dent on the mortgage!)
Hi eMom! Thank you so much for this timely post filled with such good, practical helps and spiritual wisdom. These are hard times, but God is a good Provider.
One word that hits me again and again is "simplify"...getting back to the basics in '09. (we may not have a choice!)
love & hugs,
Vicki
Great post, and nice job of reminding us wives how to support our husbands through these times.
This was a great post with some excellent advice. I remember when an older sister in Christ first told me, "Alicia, it is not your responsibility to protect your family. It is your husband's responsibility." This was so freeing to me. I was carrying burdens that were not mine. It took the weight off of my shoulders. I pray that this post will do the same for other women.
Thank you for sharing my friend!
Wonderful words of wisdom...
I think both husbands and wives struggle with their various roles in life for this modern day...but I so agree. I do think that whenever possible, couples should decide things together, but in the end, it should be the husband leading...and sometimes bearing the burden of that leadership.
Hope you have a wonderful week, dear friend!
Hugs,
~Tammy
Faith: You preach it sister! You two seem to have a good handle on managing your family's finances. Well done. :~D
Amydeanne: Blessings on your debt reduction strategies for 2009.
Vicki: I'm with you: "simplify." My motto for the past several months comes from the title of the magazine, Real Simple. :~D
Jennifer: Yes, supporting our husbands is vital. :~D
Named Alicia: Thanks for sharing this: I was carrying burdens that were not mine. It took the weight off of my shoulders. I pray that this post will do the same for other women. Hugs!
Tammy: Oh my, yes: I think both husbands and wives struggle with their various roles in life for this modern day...
Thanks for persevering as God's woman, wife and mother. Hugs!
... back to the macaroni life!
Just imagine, an America on a national diet, haha. No more tv shows with big people trying desperately to get little.
Well not to be callous about all this anxiousness over our economy, but even though we may get low on luxuries - we still know the One Who Owns the Cattle on a Thousand Hills, the Wealth in Every Mine!
... and may He graciously remind me of this knowledge each day I do without.
Connie Marie: You make me laugh... no more diet TV shows. Love you sweetie! :~D
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