The Spiritual Dilemma of God and Money - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - August 22, 2025
"No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money." Matthew 6:24 (NIV)
Growing up, money wasn't easy. My family wasn't poor, but we weren't rich either. From an early age, I was the queen of extreme couponing, saving every penny, storing gift cards for emergencies, and working hard. By the time I got to college, I had three jobs at one time because I wanted to contribute to society. I wanted to ensure I could help my parents, and I deeply ingrained within myself the belief that if I didn't work I was worthless.
1 Timothy 5:18 tells us, "The worker deserves his wages" (NIV). We know that Jesus calls us to work hard and that from the beginning, work was part of our design. Even before the fall, Adam tended to the Garden and had a role to play. It's good for workers to have goals and a purpose that motivates them (Proverbs 16:26). Finding meaning and purpose in our work often drives us to work and serve harder.
So what happens if we refuse to work?
Proverbs directly call out those who are stubborn, lazy, and refuse to work:
"Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper" (Proverbs 13:4, NLT).
"A lazy person is as bad as someone who destroys things" (Proverbs 18:9, NLT).
"Lazy people are soon poor; hard workers get rich. A wise youth harvests in the summer, but one who sleeps during harvest is a disgrace" (Proverbs 10:4-5, NLT).
"For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good" (2 Thessalonians 3:10-13, NIV).
Let me be clear: Not being able to work and refusing to work are two different things. God doesn't condemn those who are unable to work due to sickness, disease, chronic health issues, or mental and physical health struggles. He does condemn those who refuse to work because they believe work doesn't matter, or they believe they are exempt because of selfish reasons.
When work causes us to serve money over Christ, however, we've missed the bullseye. Because the poorest person is not the one without money but the one without God (C-Suite for Christ).
What about you? Do you struggle to trust God with money?
Honest confession: I struggle to trust God. Especially when it comes to finances and trading a stable and predictable career (teaching high school English), for an unpredictable calling (full-time authorship). This can be scary! But I've been exercising my faith muscles, and I'd encourage you to do the same.
Friends, we are called to work hard and be productive citizens of society. We're not called to believe the lie that if we're unable to work for legitimate reasons we would be worthless. That's not in our God-given identity or DNA. We're chosen, adored, and loved deeply by our Creator.
Meanwhile, we're called to trust God above our finances, for we cannot serve God and money. This is a lesson I'm still learning and probably will be for the rest of my life. Maybe you can relate? The good news is this: If God can provide for us physically, mentally, spiritually, relationally, and emotionally, why can't He provide for us financially? Yes, we're to work hard, but we're also called to trust Him with money.
Let's pray:
Dear God, many of us struggle to trust you with our finances. We know that working hard and making ends meet go hand-in-hand, but we also know that you can and will provide for our every need. Help us to establish a righteous balance between our relationship with you and our relationship with money. Help us to put you first and trust with full confidence that you'll help us with our finances. We will not bow down to dollar bills, coins, or credit cards. Because in the end, money isn't our master. You alone deserve the glory, honor, and praise. We thank you, sweet Lord, and we know you will provide for our every need. Help us trust you. Amen.
Agape, Amber
Photo Credit: ©Sean Locke/iStock RNS
Related Resource: Instead of Doing More This Summer, Maybe You Need to Do Less
If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
