Apparently, we’re freaked out about money.
The American Psychological Association in their annual Stress in America report found that nearly three-quarters of the people surveyedsaid they had stressed about money at some point in the last month, while more than a quarter said they are stressed about money most or all of the time.
Increasingly, people are suffering clinical anxiety, depression, are having panic attacks, losing sleep, losing weight, and have marital problems due to economic stress.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline says, more frequently than ever, they are getting calls due to economic stress.
We’re freaked out about money. And…remember this… What worries you masters you.
We know this intuitively. It’s why so many of you have made resolutions to fight back. I will…
· get a handle on my finances.
· start to get out of debt.
· start a budget
· spend less. and save more.
But, how? How do you get a handle on finances? How do you get this part of your life in order? How do you re-engineer your personal economic lifestyle? That’s what I want to explore with you today.
But, before we dive in I must sub-divide the crowd who happen to be listening to me into 2 groups, because, there are actually two general levels of financial stress.
Group 1 – those of you who are living hand to mouth or day to day. You are in acute financial insecurity. You are, in essence, broke. And many times you do not know how you are going to make it another week with your family.
You’ve come to this place because of many potential factors:
· unemployed or underemployed
· you’ve had a string of bad luck
· you’ve been beset with illness
· you‘ve made poor choices
· you’re caught in a cycle of poverty that goes back many years or generations
or any one of a number of other reasons…
This topic is painful. And your stress is acute.
· you can’t feed your kids
· you don’t have health insurance and can’t get well
· your car is falling apart and is making life complicated
· You might even be homeless.
If this is you…here’s what I do not want you to hear today… I do not want you to hear condemnation…”pick yourself up by the bootstraps”…”get yourself together”…”get a job”…or any of the other mean or less-than-helpful things some people say who do not understand your struggle.
What I want you to hear is compassion. how sorry we are that you find yourself in such a difficult place. And…I want you to know that we will do what we can to help you get on your feet.
You need to be loved and cared for. So, allow yourself to get the care, love, help and direction you need. We can provide that through our Care Center.
· Choice food pantry
· Vehicle services
· (and most importantly) Referral system…for direction and next steps…practically and emotionally
We love you, we understand and we are here to help you move out of acute financial stress.
Group 2 – You have a regular income and do not have to live hand to mouth- you have a job, you have food, a roof over your head, you have a working car, you have health insurance and yet… you are stressed about finances. You worry about money because…
· you are struggling with debt.
· you are worried about an unexpected major expense.
· you are fretting over a big ticket item you have to invests in
· You are stressed about savings
· You are freaked out about retirement.
· and you know have not given sufficient attention to this crucial aspect of your life!
Well, if you are stressed…majorly, moderately, or just want to fine tune your finances…I’ve got a suggestion for you. 3 magic words that will change your financial future. 3 words that will revolutionize your life.
Enough is enough.
That little phrase holds the key to dealing with debt, deciding how to spend on a day to day basis, deciding how to handle a major expense, be prepared for retirement, figure out how to save, even help you figure out how to do better charitable giving.
Enough is enough.
What does it mean? Be satisfied. Be content with what you have.
Let me illustrate it for you…Illustration on the board
Two prime characteristics of the “enough is enough” line:
1. The enough is enough line is an intentionally set lifestyle goal that limits consumption to less than what you make.
2. The enough is enough line is an intentionally set lifestyle goal that does not change even if you make more money.
The results of setting and keeping the enough is enough line are:
· you are able to save more
o for emergencies
o for the future (retirement)
· you are able to give more away
How do you set and keep an “enough is enough” line? We’ll talk insanely practically at the end of this message but I first want to talk about the changes in the heart that need to occur to get this intentional.
Philippians 4 page _______________
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13
I believe the key phrase in this rather bold statement…“I have learned the secret of…”
· I have learned the secret of “enough is enough”
o It’s a word that meant to be initiated into a secret rite or order. A code word or phrase.
· He’s suggesting that at one point contentment was a mystery to me. At one point I did not know the inside scoop on how to say enough is enough…but I learned it. How?
Let’s go back to the beginning of this chapter and read between the lines a bit.
Now, realize he wrote this to challenge and educate others. “Do this…don’t do that.” This is how I want you to live. But…even in reading his challenges to them you can clearly see stuff that he has learned personally for his own life. Decisions he made that informed his level of contentment such as…
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
· I have refocused my source of happiness. I have adjusted my joy target. It is the Lord. He suggests we all do the same.
Fact: We spend based on what we have determined makes us most happy.
Check that: We spend based on what we THINK makes us most happy.
Look…you know and I know that you have your happiness focus all screwed up. Material things DO NOT make you happy.
What does make you happy? Relationships… Meaning… Serving… and God.
So…if you want to draw the enough is enough line. Refocus your source of happiness.
Let’s go on…
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
This is ridiculously simple: You want to draw a new contentment line? Pray about it.
· begin to unload your financial anxiety through prayer
· talk to God about your money stress.
· put a big fat circle around it and stay in that circle until he brings the peace he promises that transcends all understanding.
If you will pray more you will spend less.
And if you pray more…you will stress less…”the peace of God will guard your hearts and minds…”
Practically: 2 HUGE options for you to consider… Prayer Gathering (slide) this Wednesday and Feb 8-March 18 40 Day Prayer Challenge (slide)
Review: Our goal is Enough is enough. And to get there: refocus our source of happiness and pray hard about it.
Let’s go on and look carefully at those same verses…
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Thanksgiving…Gratitude… Gratefulness for what you have, is yet another key to contentment.
You know this…right? Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have!
How about this twist: Always let the things you have make you forget the things you want!
Learn thankfulness and you will know how to say enough is enough!
Finally…
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things. Philippians 4:8
If you want to achieve contentment…say enough is enough…you have to change how you think. This is similar to my first point about refocusing on the things that truly make us happy but it goes deeper.
IL – If I handed you a guitar and told you to play…it would be awful. You would have to begin lessons, take time, and practice. You would have to engage in a strategy.
Similarly…if you are going to change how you think…especially about money…it will take a strategy.
· prioritizing this…studying…planning…practicing.
· I’ll be honest – I don’t believe most of you have EVER strategically rethought finances. (ex. the course we offered several years ago)
If you are going to change your thinking – it will take a strategy.
Review….if you want enough is enough…
1. refocus what truly gives you joy
2. begin to pray like crazy
3. practice gratitude
4. come up with a strategy to change how you think
Now let me get insanely practical. If you are going to set a new line that lies below your income level…you may have to do these things:
1. Be content with a smaller house.
2. Be content with buying used or pre-owned instead of new. (especially cars)
3. Be content with stretching things. Electronics, clothing, appliances…
4. Learn how to fix stuff and make stuff.
5. Re-think vacations. Shorter, less frequent, less expensive.
a. don’t try to buy your kid’s happiness with vacations. They’ll be fine with time with you wherever.
6. Saving, then buying, with cash.
7. Eating more simply.
8. Having a reasonable wedding celebration. (how proud I am of my wife and daughter!)
9. Choose higher education wisely and carefully.
a. is a 75,000/yr school really that much better than the 25,000/yr school option?
Side note: there are times worthy of blowing it out! Austerity is not necessarily godly. But if you are going to blow it out…save for it! Celebration is more enjoyable in moderation and without debt.
You can do this. Really you can. And it will bring so much less anxiety and so much more joy.
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13
Enough is enough.