We often hear the saying that we need to live by faith or live out our faith, but how do we do that in a practical way in our finances.  Do we just live by faith alone and trust God to provide for all our needs and even our wants to?  Or do we depend on ourselves to make all the money, pay all the bills, and be wise decision makers?  The true answer is a balance.

We need to begin by being wise stewards.  Knowing the difference in a need and want.  Understanding that we need to provide for our families first then if we have extra left over for something special.  That we should be generous givers yet not to the point of harming our families.  That we need to plan ahead by saving for large purchases, and that we need to work to get ourselves out of debt.

We also need to walk by faith.  Sometimes this means not fully understanding what our Heavenly Father is up to and how He is going to provide.  Sometimes this means obeying and understanding later.  It is a constant walk of faith followed by obedience.  If I truly believe something, I will then live it out as reality.  Our Father is just that – our father.  He wants the best for us.  He wants to see us succeed and gives us everything we need to do so.  We do not always understand His ways since we are human and limited in our knowledge…this is where our faith comes in.

It is also being practical.  I need to know what I am spending each month, how I am spending it, and what I am getting in return.  We often refer to this as our spending plan!  And with that spending plan comes a way to track our spending such as a paper diary, software, or envelopes – whatever works best for you and your lifestyle.  I then make my decisions based on all the knowledge I have by understanding my finances practically as well doing my best to be wise in how I make decisions and at the same time trusting and walking by faith.  That can be quite the balance to keep, but if we realize that we are physical, mental, and spiritual beings, that will help us keep that balance in our lives.  So just as we have those three aspects, finances have all three as well – physical (the practical numbers), mental (wisdom), and spiritual (faith).  Therefore walk by wisdom, faith, and reality this day!