Five Steps to Financial Wisdom

Wisdom can be found in many areas of your life. We can find it by searching in the right place or the wrong place. The right places to find wisdom should be in our spirit, and the wrong places could be talking with someone and ending up with the wrong advice. The Word says, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore, get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding,” according to Proverb 4:7 (KJV). We can find wisdom, and it will be the bright future of your life. Proverbs 24:14 (NLT) “In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short”. How do we find wisdom? There are some steps to take to gain financial wisdom. We probably already know about what to do with our finances, but let’s discuss some steps as a review.

Step One – know the spirit of God’s wisdom by studying the Word regarding finances. There are over 2,000 scriptures relating to finances in the bible. God wants us to know what to do with our finances. In my opinion, God knew we would need knowledge of different aspects of our finances, such as how to get out of debt, how to give, the need to save, how not to lust after money, etc. God will provide us with wisdom when we ask for it. James 1:5 (KJV) “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him”. As we read James, we should know wisdom is available to us when we ask, which applies to finances. Go ahead and ask God for wisdom in the area of finances.

Step Two – gain knowledge about finances. We can gain knowledge by reading financial books. There is a wealth of information in financial books that will provide some strategies to help us with our finances—for example, saving for retirement, buying stock and bonds, real estate purchases, etc. Before we purchase a home, we can gain knowledge on the information needed to buy a home. Some seminars and workshops are available for those who are buying a home for the first time. There is nothing wrong with gaining knowledge from other sources such as workshops, books, individuals, etc.

Step Three – acquire skills. Many people have the right skills to move their finances to where they want it to go. This means they already know how to accomplish budgeting, savings, starting investment strategy, tracking spending and expenses to improve finances. These skills are essential and can help us save plenty of money. We can use the same skills to help us with our business.

Step Four – find wisdom. How do we find wisdom? We can find wisdom by searching for it and by attending school/college. A college education is a great way to obtain the wisdom we need to help us earn more money in a higher-paying job. As a result, our finances will increase because of the wisdom we gain in seeking a higher education. Even though we get the degree, we must always rely on the Holy Spirit's wisdom to show us the best way to handle a problem.

Step Five – have understanding. Wisdom can be achieved through an understanding of God’s Word. When we understand how finances should work through the Word of God, we can accomplish a lot more than we think. Since wisdom is more precious than rubies, nothing you desire can compare with her (Proverbs 8:11 NIV). We can see having wisdom and understanding can lead us to many insights into how we should handle our finances. Apply the knowledge of wisdom daily.

Grace & peace,

Meliton Barron