Finding Your Financial PathSample

Debt is a choice. Retail therapy is much like it sounds—shopping to improve mood or disposition. The world tells us we deserve nice things regardless of whether we can afford them. With no money down, you can finance a car, charge a vacation or buy a bedroom suite. It is easy to get caught up in buying new things to make ourselves feel better, maxing out credit cards along the way. When the pressure to pay the bills becomes overwhelming, we buy something new to cheer us up. It can quickly become a vicious cycle. As followers of Jesus, we can be free of the burden of debt. Jesus died to free us from all forms of slavery, credit card companies included. Financial imprisonment is a choice. It’s a choice to give into the temporary satisfaction of spending instead of the lasting contentment that comes from following Jesus. In Galatians 5:1, the apostle Paul tells the church of Galatia to stand firm and to not be burdened again by slavery. This verse still applies to us today. God wants more for us than financial stress and a pile of bills. Jesus died for us to live in freedom, including freedom from debt. Think About: 1. How have your financial burdens made you feel enslaved? 2. What do you wish you had the financial freedom to do? 3. What steps can you take to get there? Pray: Dear Jesus, You alone can fulfill the longings of my heart. Give me the courage to live in freedom instead of going back to old vices.