Getting Your Finances in Order Part 2: Heart Surgery

Every morning you probably take at least one glance in the mirror to see if everything is in order (i.e. hair, teeth, clothes, etc). You do this so that if there’s something that needs to be adjusted, you can make the adjustment and out the door you go. This practice keeps you looking good, and at times could even save you from embarrassing yourself.

What if I told you that there was a mirror that doesn’t just tell you how you look on the outside, but it uncovers the true motivation of your heart? Would you care to glance at that once a day? Once a month? Once a year? Do you want to know?

The Bible says there is such a mirror…it’s how we spend our money. Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” In other words, there is a direct correlation between what you spend money on and what has your heart. The true benefit of reviewing how you spent money in 2011 isn’t just to be “better with money”, but it’s to understand where you’re heart is. I think this should be MASSIVELY important to us because in our mind we can think we are somebody that we are not and, therefore, not be true to ourselves.

What do your account statements say about you? Where do you place value? Is it in your home? Your education? Is it entertainment and vacations? Do your account statements tell a different story about who you really are than the perception you have about yourself? This is where we may need to do some heart surgery, which is painful, but it can save our lives.

Making Adjustments
The purpose of a mirror is to make adjustments (unless you just like looking at yourself). The purpose of looking at the condition of your heart is to ask, “Am I content with the condition of my heart? Do I have my priorities in the right place?” Perhaps you’re exactly where you need to be? If so, you may be in the minority because for most of us this exercise reveals things we are not so eager to know…which is why we avoid it all together.

What Now?
If you discovered the condition of your heart is not where you want it to be, it’s important to spend time repenting and asking God for both forgiveness (which is quick to give) and the grace and wisdom to make the necessary changes. Going through this process you will quickly discover that managing money isn’t so much about good technique (although it helps), but it’s primarily a heart issue that we need God’s grace for.

In my next post, I’ll talk about establishing financial priorities and goals