Part of the reason God placed us on this planet was for us to be productive, show initiative and develop the talents and abilities He gave us so we could support ourselves, our family and others in need.

Diligently applying the foregoing principles of economic well-being is essential for financial success. However, to seek a successful outcome in our daily endeavors, we must also have God's blessings.

We should heed the words of wise King Solomon: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Proverbs 3:5-6).

The Bible makes it possible for us to glean God's thoughts on every major area of life. God is an expert on the human condition. He knows what we lack, and He knows what we need. He knows we need His help in making important monetary decisions and in keeping our financial houses in order.

Biblical guidance

As we have seen, the Bible is full of sound advice about money matters. It even cautions us not to be so concerned about them that we seriously neglect other important aspects of our life. Our dependence is to be on God and not on money. "Where your treasure is," Christ admonished, "there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). Is your heart—and your treasure—focused primarily on things of this life, or is it focused on God in heaven?

The Scriptures teach us not to set our heart on riches but to help people in genuine need and generously support the work of sharing God's truth with others. Such priorities are an important part of loving our neighbors as ourselves.

We should seek to live a balanced life, putting our finances into proper perspective. One of the ancients asked of God: "Give me neither poverty nor riches—feed me with the food allotted to me" (Proverbs 30:8).

Using our resources properly

In the preceding pages, we have seen that money of itself is neither good nor evil. It is a tool we use throughout our lives to accomplish tasks and goals. The way we use our money is important to God because it demonstrates our priorities.

God sees whether we honor Him with the blessings He gives us, how we care for our families and how we treat the poor. And there are lasting repercussions. Jesus in one of His parables says to those who have been good stewards of what is committed to their care: "Well done; good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord" (Matthew 25:21, Matthew 25:23). As exciting as our physical life can be, it pales in comparison with the eternal inheritance our Creator offers us (Romans 8:18).

God promises that obeying Him in this life has value for the present and future (1 Timothy 4:8). May God bless you as you learn to conform to His will!