How to avoid the scary feeling of running out of money

Do you want to avoid the scary feeling of running out of money?

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When panic sets in and the need grow so great in your mind, you can’t think straight any more. It’s becomes hard to breathe and you try to finagle your finances constantly, while worry lines your face.

You snap at those closest to you, yet hating yourself for it. A small, unexpected purchase made by your partner is the trigger to a tirade, even though honestly, the amount could be absorbed because it is a small number and not the real issue.

Don’t you want to just crawl under the covers and hope the money stress is just a bad dream you can shake off before it gets worse? Wishing you could just wake up with someone else’s bank account and no money worries whatsoever.

You are forced to make hard decisions about what purchases really do have priority and go around your house with a ruthless eye pulling out things to sell for some extra cash.

Scissors in hand, you comb through the budget looking for any extra surplus to cut or new ways to stretch the money you do have.

All the impulse buys in recent months come flooding back to your mind and the what-if’s begin bringing up all the ways you should have done a better job of handling money.

Your judgement becomes almost irrational and you are so weary of fighting this unending battle to survive. You come a hair’s breadth away from giving up.

But you don’t give up, because inside you know there has to be a better way. A way to actually win with money and not struggle all the time.

When your money seems as though it is running dry like a creek bed in the dead of a summer’s heat, it is a test.

Are you going to look to God, who is the provider of all you need, to come through in your time of desperation? Or are you going to stress, worry and panic because there is not enough?

This test is one I have had to face often.

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How will tuition be paid this semester? Summer is here and the savings are minimal, or worse, non-existent. Work is slow, again. The car needs a major repair. A medical bill just unexpectedly arrived.

The first impulse is to panic and spend a restless night full of stress and worry because doing so will solve everything…er.. not.

By morning comes a gentle reminder to take the immediate need before God and trust Him to come through with an incredible provision.

Which He does. There has not been one need which has gone unfulfilled when looking back. Every semester has been paid for with cash. More work comes in or an expense is less than expected. A new way to save money has been discovered and something sold just in time.

Coincidence? No, just God proving Himself trustworthy to take care of the needs again and again.

Each moment filled with money stress and worry becomes an opportunity to see how God will provide.[Tweet “Each moment filled with money stress becomes an opportunity to see how God will provide. “]

Certainly, there are ways you can responsibly manage money you have been given, while you are waiting to see how God comes through on your behalf.

• First, if you are not on a written budget, stop everything and start there.
• Can you trim expenses and give yourself a little breathing room?
• Are there new ways to earn some extra cash you have not thought about before?
• Can you adjust your lifestyle expectations to discover a simpler way of life?
• Are you willing to work hard with what you have before you?
• Do you have a gratefulness for everything you do have?

How much of my life (or yours) has been spent worrying, or worse been wasted, by stressing about money? Too much!

We need to stop fretting about what we do not have, instead bringing our needs before God and trusting Him to provide. This is not an easy mindset change and takes time to remind yourself to stop, because your instant reaction is to turn towards panic instead being willing to trust.

Yes, I am still working on changing my tendencies towards trusting first rather than stressing because the financial outlook is grim and looks hopeless, because I want to experience the peace which comes along when choosing to trust and not stress.

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When the decision is made in your heart to trust and see how God will provide, you can be more at peace. Remind yourself of times before when everything has worked out at the last minute, did it just happen or was there Someone behind the scenes orchestrating everything to fall into place at just the right time?

If you find yourself constantly stressing so much about money your stomach hurts, today try something new, because it can’t get any worse, right?

Try asking God to provide for your need and trust He will watching for how He will provide. It is the best way to avoid the scary feeling of running out of money.

Do you have any times where God has provided for your financial needs?

This post was shared at Tip Tuesday,

Like this post? Check out all the rest in this Budgeting When Money is Tight Series