Perhaps you’ve heard me say this before, but I’m going to say it again today because it’s so incredibly important. In this life, pressure is inevitable. Stress, on the other hand, is entirely optional. One of the biggest pressures we can face is financial pressure. How stressed are you over your finances?

You can hardly pick up a newspaper or listen to a news bulletin these days without being confronted by the financial pressures that so many are under – inflation, interest rates, tough decisions to be made. People are feeling the crunch.

There’ve been times in my life too when, honestly, I didn’t have enough money to buy food for next week. It’s a terrible feeling. And as those financial pressures mount, as they close in on you, your stress levels soar. So when you reach breaking point, what do you do?

Listen up to wise old King Solomon, as he explained it to his sons:

Proverbs 3:9 Honour the LORD with your wealth and the first part of your harvest. Then your barns will be full of grain, and your barrels will be overflowing with wine.

At a time when “wealth” was a complete overstatement of my financial position, I began giving towards God’s work first, before any expenditure on me. I didn’t have much to give, but I gave.

To be honest, my finances didn’t improve magically overnight. The pressure was still there. But the stress began to evaporate, because as I saw God provide for me day by day, my trust in Him began to grow.

Pressure is inevitable. Stress is optional.

Honour the LORD with your wealth and the first part of your harvest.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.