by Chris Zeigler
@fuelledbyHim
College students are notorious for pinching pennies while piling up large amounts of debt. Somehow it is now considered the norm for people to pay more for one year of college tuition than many families make in a year. The average student debt in 2011 was $23,300. So, what does God have to say about our finances and how can you apply that personally whether you’re about to enter college or have already been in school for a couple years?
Honor God with His Finances
The very first step is realizing that your money is not actually yours. We can see this principle all throughout the Bible. Deuteronomy 10:14 says, “To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.” Haggai 2:8 even specifies God’s ownership of money, “‘The silver is mine and the gold is mine,’ declares the Lord Almighty.”
You’ve probably heard similar verses when your pastor preached about the importance of tithing, but this should apply to every aspect of our lives. Are you regularly asking the Lord for wisdom in spending the money He’s given you? Did you pray about which college to attend and what loans to take out? When we view our finances as God’s and surrender them to Him He gives us supernatural wisdom and understanding to manage our money.
When we choose to honor Him first we will reap a reward. God speaks in Malachi 3:10 saying, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,’ says the Lord Almighty, ‘and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.’”
In fact, giving the tithe to the Lord is just the beginning of what God asks. When we develop a spirit of generosity we are following in the footsteps of the early church. “In the midst of a very severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” 2 Corinthians 8:2-3
Set a budget and Stick To It
As much as we try to avoid it, college is when we are first faced with the everyday responsibilities of adulthood. It’s easy to get a paycheck or money from parents and spend it all within a couple days. I admit that I didn’t pay enough attention to where my money went when I was in college. It seems like we never have enough, but that’s probably because we spend it foolishly.
We are given plenty of opportunities to spend money. Whether it’s ordering pizza one night, buying a new DVD or videogame, getting a cup of coffee, seeing the latest movie as soon as it comes out, or going on a shopping spree at the mall, it’s no wonder we can’t figure out where our money goes so quickly.
Before you go to college calculate your income and plan out a budget. If you don’t have any experience budgeting ask someone who you’ve seen handles money well to help you work on one. While budgeting can be a pain, the harder part is sticking to the budget you set. Pay attention to your spending habits and live within your means. Don’t run up your credit card bill and try your best not to borrow money from others. Ask the Lord to give you self-control in your spending.
When we become Christians we understand the concept of surrendering our lives to the Lord, but somehow think that doesn’t include our finances. God has asked us to surrender everything to Him and that includes our finances. If you can incorporate these two principles into your life you’ll have a good head start on learning to honor God in your finances.
What are some of the best ways you’ve found to stretch your money, but still have fun at college? How can you give where you have not given before to honor the Lord?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
About Chris
Chris Zeigler is the Assistant Director for BASIC College Ministries and writes a weekly blog for campus ministry called Concepts for Campuses. He and his wife, Cheryl, have been working with BASIC since 2009 and have helped start BASIC groups in the Rochester, NY area at SUNY Geneseo, Monroe Community College, and the University of Rochester. He and his wife live with their daughter, Melia, in Lima, NY.
Twitter: @fuelledbyHim
Facebook: http://facebook.com/chris.zeigler
Blog: http://thebasicsite.org/resources/blog
No comments:
Post a Comment