Debt Up to Our Ears and How to Pray About it

3 Devotions and Prayers to Fight Off Financial Anxiety

What the Word Says:

Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. — Philippians 4:6 NCV

According to a recent poll, money is the number one stressor among Americans. Among those surveyed, more than 40 percent reported feeling worried about saving for retirement and the possibility of outliving their savings.1 Fear and worry are topics that are addressed repeatedly in the Bible. God knows human beings are prone to worry; therefore, the Scriptures have plenty to say about the issue. According to the Scriptures, the cure for worry is prayer. Paul instructed his readers to pray rather than worry. Anxiety can cause serious damage to our bodies, but it doesn’t have the ability to improve our circumstances. When we are tempted to worry, we can interrupt those anxious thoughts with prayer. If we do, we will experience peace. Paul concluded, “And God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 NCV).

Prayer

Father, please help me to develop a powerful prayer life. I want to replace my fear with faith. Teach me to pray when I am worried and to live in Your peace.

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What the Word Says:

If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him. — Matthew 7:11 NLT

God intends for prayer to be a focal point in the life of the believer. In the mystery of God’s will, He has ordained for believers to move His hand through prayer. Jesus instructed His followers to persistently petition God for our wants and needs: “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened” (Matthew 7:7 NLT). Jesus made the point that if we who are sinful know how to give good gifts to our children, we can trust our perfect heavenly Father to do what is best for us when we engage in prayer (Matthew 7:11). God invites us to approach Him in prayer. As believers, we have the extraordinary privilege of approaching the God of the universe and asking Him to provide the things we need. As we petition Him in prayer, we can be confident that He will provide what is best.

Prayer

Father, help me to devote myself to prayer. Teach me to trust You as my provider as I make prayer a part of my daily life and grow in my relationship with You.

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What the Word Says:

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and He will give you everything you need.” — Matthew 6:31-33 NLT

Holocaust survivor Corrie Ten Boom said, “Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of strength.”2 Worry is a universal problem that Jesus instructed His people to avoid. At its core, worrying about finances reveals a lack of faith that God will provide everything we need. Jesus said that worrying about food and clothing dominates the thoughts of unbelievers, but it shouldn’t be a trait of those who profess Him as Lord. Our heavenly Father is intimately aware of what’s going on in the lives of His children. The number of hairs on our head doesn’t change without His knowledge (Matthew 10:30), so we can be confident that He knows our exact needs and is willing to provide. When we are convinced that God is good, He is able, and He loves us, there is no reason for us to worry about lack. We can trust that our Father will provide.

Prayer

Father, thank You for being intimately aware of my needs. Help me to trust You and not to worry, because You will provide everything I need.

1. Emmie Martin, “Americans Are More Stressed About Money Than Work or Relationships — Here’s Why,” CNBC, June 26, 2018
2. Corrie Ten Boom, Clippings from My Notebook (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).

Excerpted with permission from The God Who Provides, copyright Zondervan.

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Your Turn

If you’re struggling from the anxiety that debt and financial stress bring, you’re not alone. It sets the stage quite nicely to trust God to be the good Father that He is. How have your financial burdens affected your trust in the Lord? Have you seen Him provide in ways you couldn’t imagine? Come share your stories with us on our blog!