This morning, I woke up with that all-too-familiar feeling of financial worry weighing heavily on my mind. The pressure of debt and the uncertainty of the future pressed in, triggering an impulse to act immediately, as if managing financial stress was a fire that I needed to put out right away. My initial reaction was to take control, to find a quick solution. I had some cryptocurrency, specifically Bitcoin, that had recently reached a high value, so I was ready to sell it and clear my debts.

Managing Financial Stress

The Grip of Financial Anxiety

I quickly checked the market, and Bitcoin was down. It wasn’t a huge drop, but enough for me to lose a couple of thousand dollars. I felt my security slipping away, and fear almost made me make a rash decision. I wanted to free myself from the burden of debt, but something within me caused me to hesitate. It wasn’t just about the money; I realized worry was in control. I began to recognize that managing financial stress in this way was not the answer.

Choosing a Different Approach in managing financial stress

Instead of acting out of fear, I made the conscious choice to pause and wait. At first, it wasn’t a deliberate decision to trust God, but more of an acknowledgment that my usual patterns weren’t working. I realized that I did not want to wake up in panic and react immediately to the market. I decided to turn my focus to my spiritual exercises and put my financial anxieties aside. It was a deliberate step to not let fear determine my choices. I knew that I needed to “look at fear, and things that I think bring safety, and forget all of that” because they “are not what keep me safe”.

Finding Peace in God’s Guidance

As I began to pray and connect with God, things became clearer. He began to show me something beyond my initial, fear-driven response. I realized that my urgency to eliminate my debt came from a place of fear, rather than faith, it was a desire for control and not a surrender to God’s plan. This is where my journey of truly managing financial stress began. It was about more than just paying off my debt; it was about aligning my heart with God’s will.

This is a daily practice of giving up my financial fears to God, which in turn strengthens my trust in Him. “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him” (1 John 5:14-15).

The Strength in Surrender and managing financial stress

This experience showed me that my true security is not in my bank account, but in my relationship with God. He has provided “all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2 Peter 1:3). By choosing to trust in Him instead of my own solutions, I opened myself to a new understanding where I realized that managing financial stress was not only possible, but was something that God desired for me. It was about “casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). I now embrace the truth that what I am going through is preparing me for “amazing things”.

A Continual Journey of Faith

Managing financial stress is not a one-time fix. It is a daily choice to trust God more than my own solutions. It involves surrendering control to God every day. Trusting that He is my provider and that He will never abandon me is essential. Knowing He has a plan greater than mine helps. It’s about “learning how to be content with whatever I have” and understanding that “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13). This experience has been a powerful reminder. When I lean into God’s will, I find the strength and wisdom I need. Even when the future is uncertain.

My journey of managing financial stress continues, and I hope that my story encourages you to seek God in your own circumstances. If you found this article helpful, I invite you to read more about similar experiences. In “How to Overcome Depersonalization and Dissociation“, you can explore the impact of trauma on our lives. Also, I invite you to read “Beyond Judgement: Love and Freedom in the gray zones” and understand how we can live in love and freedom, despite our differences. Finally, in “Find Your Tribe, Grow Your Faith“, learn the importance of community in our spiritual journeys.

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