There is Still Hope in the Midst of the World's Chaos

The last couple of years have been very challenging. The housing industry has fallen apart. Credit and lending practices have tightened. Companies are have laid off workers. Consumers have reduced their spending. The economy is experiencing many hurdles, and the media is debating whether or not we are on our way out of the recession.

As Christians, we are faced with the dilemma of tithing. I know what you're thinking. Granted, for many of us, this has been second nature for years. However, when things in the world get tough, even the faithful tithers may find themselves hesitating as bills begin to pile up.

This article is meant to provide some words of encouragement and useful reminders. I have been helping some families deal with these issues since the country's financial crisis first started, and I realize how many other families are still hurting right now.

Don't forget who is in control

The key point to remember during these tough times is that, regardless of how things look, and regardless of how we all feel, God is still in control. Sure, our finances may be out of whack. But God has us right where He wants us. Psalm 135:6 reads, "The Lord does whatever pleases Him." (NIV)

It is hard to imagine that God is pleased with what is going on right now. But, is it safe to say that the road we've been on may not be the road that God wanted us to be on? Is it possible that where we are now is better than where we were headed?

We all know the story of Joseph. In Genesis, we read about Joseph's brothers selling him into slavery. Sure, it was tough on Joseph being away from the love of his family. Joseph's father was also pretty devastated, thinking that his son was killed. But if that had not happened, Joseph would not have been in position to help Egypt prepare for the upcoming famine.

God took a devastating situation and turned it into something good. Paul reminds us of that in Romans 8:28, "All things work together for good to those who love God." (NIV) In the same manner, God will turn our devastation into something good.

Just be faithful

As stewards, our responsibility is to be faithful with the things God has entrusted to us. If we still have an income, we should pray for God's guidance to know how we are to handle those resources.

It is possible that the income cannot cover all of the expenses. However, we should not try to put ourselves in the driver's seat to figure out how to fix all of it. God told us in Isaiah 55:8 that "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways." (NIV)

That means that we cannot run to our credit cards or other similar resources in an effort to solve the problem. These are only temporary fixes, and they will not get to the root of God's concern.

We all must keep Psalm 34:10 in mind. "Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing." (NIV) The shake-up in the economy is a wake-up call from God. We all should seek Him and allow Him back in the driver's seat of our lives - not only financially, but in every area of our lives.

Times are tough, but God is right here with us, in the middle of this chaos. The Israelites spent 40 years in the desert, wandering aimlessly and not realizing that the promised land was right around the corner.

We don't have to be in this desert for 40 years. If we fix our eyes on God and work on doing things according to His will, His mercy and grace will deliver us.


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Ozeme J. Bonnette is a financial coach, speaker, and author of Get What Belongs to You: A Christian Guide to Managing Your Finances. Her focus is on increasing financial literacy among adults and youth around the U.S. She earned 3 Bachelor's degrees at Fresno State, and her MBA at UCLA's Anderson School. Her blog is http://www.povertynorriches.com. Reach her at ozeme@thechristianmoneycoach.com.