The Burden of Debt: Breaking Chains for God's Financial Freedom

Speaker A00:00:00

Feeling lost in today's headlines, seeking God's truth for our chaotic culture. Welcome to Truth Unveiled with Ralph. We'll cut through the noise guiding you to biblical discernment for your faith, your finances, and your life.Now here's Ralph Estep Jr. Welcome back, friend, to Truth Unveiled with Ralph. Man, it's always just really, really good to spend this time with you.You know, we've been hitting some pretty heavy stuff lately, haven't we? We talked about the inflation illusion.Then we dug into the digital divide, and last week we faced a culture of complaint and how that drains our joy. We even talked about your identity in crisis and where our true worth comes from. Well, today we're going to talk about something that for many.Listen, many people, feels like a constant quiet hum of stress in the background of their lives. It's a weight that can feel incredibly heavy. We're talking about the burden of debt.I want to talk about breaking the chains for God's financial freedom. Friend, let's be honest for a moment, just between you and me. How does that word debt make you feel? Really Think about it for a second.That word debt, how does it really make you feel? For a lot of us, hey, it makes our shoulders tense up a little bit. Does it make your shoulders tense up a little bit?Do you picture a stack of bills on the counter? Man, I got to get to those, Ralph. And I just. I just don't want to face those right now.Or maybe for you, it's a student loan statement that seems to follow you everywhere. No matter where you go, it's always haunting you. Perhaps it's a balance on that credit card. It never quite goes down. No.No matter how much you pay each month. And, you know, in our culture, and this is a truth bomb in our culture today, debt has become incredibly common. It's almost invisible, isn't it?Unfortunately, it's woven into the fabric of our daily life. Think about it for a second. You need a car to get to work. Hey, you go get an auto loan. You want to go to college. Hey, great. Go get a student loan.You want to buy a home? Yeah, we can do that, too. We got a mortgage. Probably the biggest debt most of us will ever take on.You want to buy something online or maybe just grab some groceries? Hey, plastic credit cards. Buy now, pay later. It's just normal. It's accepted, even encouraged, in many cases.And we're told this lie, that debt is a tool, a necessary evil, a way to build credit, a way to get what you want. And get it now without having to wait. You've heard it, just put it on the card. Hey, it's only X dollars a month. Sounds great, doesn't it?But let me ask you, how does that debt actually feel? Honestly, ask yourself, how does that debt actually make you feel? Does it feel like freedom?Or does it feel more like a constant weight on your shoulders, that nagging worry, a feeling of being stuck? Hey, I remember early my own journey. Or I've watched friends and family do this as well.Seeing the stress that debt can bring, those quiet arguments about money. Hey, sometimes it's big arguments. I've seen marriages end because of debt.The dreams that get put on hold because every extra dollar has to go to somewhere else. It's spoken for, even get it. Maybe for you it's that inability to be generous because your money is always spoken for.And it can feel like you're working so hard, pouring out your energy to everything. But a significant chunk of your paycheck is already gone before you even see it.Many times it's paying for a choice that you made months or hey, listen to me, a choice that you made of made years ago. And if we're being honest, we have to say this debt can steal your peace. It can steal your sleep. It can strain relationships.I've seen it happen way too many times. It can. It can limit your choices. It can keep you in a job that you hate because you have to make that payment.It can prevent you from giving, it can prevent you from saving. It can prevent you from investing in your future or from truly living with financial freedom.It's like an invisible chain just slowly tightening, limiting your movement, limiting your joy and limiting your ability to truly respond to God's call on your life. We often take on debt out of a desire for convenience. Hey, it's convenient, you know, buy now, pay later.For many of us it's just that instant gratification. And for many, many a horvis. And I'm guilty of this too. Or even because we're trying to keep up with what culture says we should have.Culture is great about telling us what we should have. And hey, we're going to put it in debt to get it. Because hey, get it now, pay later. It's convenient. Hey, it's no big deal. Instant gratification.But what does God's word say? What is the ultimate source of wisdom for our lives have to say about this incredibly common yet deeply impactful burden of debt?Ask this question of yourself. Does the Bible offer a different perspective, a path to a different kind of financial reality.I'm going to tell you right now, friend, you can breathe a sigh of relief, because you bet it does. And it's a truth that can not only show you a way out of debt, but also transform your whole approach to money and even your sense of freedom.So let's open God's word together and hear what he says about debt. Because listen, it's clear. It's a consistent message from COVID to cover. It's the same in my view. There's absolutely no ambiguity here.Let's go straight to Proverbs 22:7. This is one of the most blunt and powerful verses in the Bible, says this. And I've used this on my daily show many times.If, if you're looking for a daily sort of pick me up financially, I'm going to encourage you to check out Financially Confident Christian. But let's continue. This is Proverbs 22:7. It says this. Let me tell you, it's blunt.The rich rules over the poor and the borrower is a slave to the lender. Think about that for a second. A slave to the lender. Friend, that isn't just a metaphor. I wish it was all that. I wish that's all it was.But it's a spiritual and practical reality. When you owe money to somebody or to a bank or to a credit card company, you are by very definition working for them. Hear me on that.You're working for them. And your future income, well, guess what? It's already promised to them. And if it's already promised to them, guess what? Your choices are restricted.You're not fully free. And this verse just highlights the loss of freedom.It highlights the loss of choice, and it highlights that inherent burden that comes from borrowing.Next, let's take a look at the Book of Romans, chapter 13, verse 8, because we get a core principle for Christian living here, and I absolutely love this verse. You ready for it? Here it is. Oh, no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.Wow, it's pretty powerful, isn't it? Again, it's very clear here. No ambiguity. Owe no one, anything. Think about that for a second. That's a command. It's not just a suggestion.This is a commandment in the Bible, not some suggestion. The only debt we're supposed to carry is the endless debt of love for one another. You don't put that on a credit card.You don't put that on a mortgage. You don't put that on a personal loan. And this verse implies striving for a life where you are not bound by financial obligations to others.Just the love part.And if we take it a little deeper, it points to a life of true financial freedom where your resources are free and fully available for God's purposes. And, hey, the best part, and available for loving others. Let's look at the Book of Psalms, chapter 37, verse 21.Because this verse highlights the integrity that should mark a believer's financial life. And this one is a little harsh, but this is what it says. It says, the wicked borrows and does not repay, but the righteous is generous and gives.Yeah, I told you it's a little harsh. But see, this verse contrasts the unrighteous who borrow and then don't pay it back.But it contrasts that with the righteous who are characterized by their generosity. And it emphasizes the importance of financial integrity and for fulfilling our commitments.That's the key to this, how important it is to be financially and have the financial integrity and to fulfill our commitments. And it connects debt repayments directly to righteous living. You can't, it can't even make it clearer than that.Now let's look at a promise and a principle from Deuteronomy, chapter 28, verse 12. It says this.The Lord will open to you his good treasury the heavens, to give you the reign to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hands. And listen to this part, because this is the part.And listen, when I was preparing for today's show, hadn't even really thought about it this way, but somebody pointed this out to me is what it ends with. It says, and you shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. Think about that for a second.Now, this is a part of a larger passage about God's blessings when his people obey. But notice that last part. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow. Hey, when the Bible says shall not, listen up, guess what?Don't do it. That's God's ideal. That's his best for his people. It's a position of abundance and blessing where they are the lenders. About that for a second.They're the lenders. They're the blessers. They're the givers, not the borrowers.And that right there is a picture of true financial empowerment deeply rooted in God's provision. Well, let's look at a couple other scriptures that give us more wisdom. Look at the Book of Proverbs, chapter 6, verses 1 to 5.It gives us a stern warning about going into debt for Others says this, my son, if you have put up your security for your neighbor, have given your pledge for a stranger, if you are snared in the words of your mouth, caught in the words of your mouth, then do this, my son, and save yourself. For you have come into the hand of your neighbors. Go, hasten and plead with your neighbor. Give your eyes and listen to this part.This will really startle you. Give your eyes no sleep and your eyelids no slumber.Free yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, like a bird from the hand of the fowler. Think about that for a second. This passage paints a picture of intense urgency.Don't sleep, don't get any rest about what to get out of financial commitments that could enslave you. What does it say? Give your eyes no sleep. That's an alarm bell for everyone or anyone trapped by debt.It's urgent, immediate, desperate action to break free. And deeper than that, I've really believed this. It truly shows God's heart for your freedom.God has a heart for you to be free and not be enslaved by debt. Let's look at Proverbs chapter 10, verse 4, because it draws a clear contrast.And this one, again, I'm quoting some harsh scripture today, but you need to hear it. Proverbs 10:4 says this. A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. I told you that's not an easy one to stomach.But this verse speaks to the slow accumulation of wealth through diligent, consistent effort. Listen. That stands in contrast to the quick, often deceptive ease of borrowing. That buy here, pay here. That buy here, pay now, pay later.That convenience that I want to have it right now, it's talking about those shortcuts. And see, debt can be a shortcut that leads to poverty.The other side of that, diligence, hard work, putting in the time, putting in the effort, saving. What's the Bible say that leads to true wealth? So as I get to the end of these scriptures, the Bible's message is pretty clear, isn't is?To me, the truth is, debt is a burden. We need to hear that. We need to embrace that. Debt is a burden and it limits your freedom. It's a position of slavery to someone else.And God's desire is for you to be free from that, to be a lender. Remember what it said? Be a lender, not a borrower. To be generous, not perpetually paying off your past. And a lot of people take this.Oh well, God's going to be angry with me. Well, that's not what I'm saying at all. This isn't about God being angry with you if you have debt. I get it. A lot of people find him.Listen, I found myself in debt from time to time. God's not angry with you if you have debt, but it's about him loving you so much that he wants you to experience true peace.He wants you to experience true freedom and to be positioned to generously bless others and serve his kingdom and do it unburdened. And see, here's the stark, sobering difference between what culture often pushes.The whole point of this show is to look at what's going on in culture and compare that to what the Word says. Compare that to the timeless wisdom of the Bible. So there's a huge difference between what culture pushes and what God truly reveals about debt.And it's a choice that will impact your peace. It will impact your purpose. And listen, it'll impact your very ability to live with freedom.Let me start by talking about culture's way, what I'll call the debt trap. And if we're being honest with each other, we know this is the truth. The world normalizes debt, even romanticizes it. Hey, go get that mortgage.Get those credit cards. Get those car loans. It tells you that debt is necessary for things like homeownership. Hey, if you want to own a home, you got to have a mortgage.It tells you debt is necessary for higher education. Hey, you got to have those student loans.And even maybe more sinister, it tells you that debt is necessary for simply having the lifestyle you desire. But you gotta have it now, as a culture's doing.It encourages this buy now, pay later mentality, promoting instant gratification and the pursuit of those status symbols through borrowed money. And listen, I've been enthralled by that as well. This path, though, it seems convenient or even sophisticated. Oh, I'm a. I'm a borrower, Ralph.I understand how the markets work. But if we're being truthful and we're being honest, it leads to deep financial stress. It limits your choices.It puts you in this state of perpetual payments. It strains relationship. Listen, it destroys relationships.And it leaves you with a feeling of this constant bondage because you're always working to pay off the past. Oh, yeah, I did that three years ago, or I did that two years ago.Hey, listen, I know people that have home equity loans that are paying off decisions they made 15 years ago. And by living in that bondage, it's hindering your ability to save. It's Hindering your ability to invest. And listen to me on this. This is a truth.It's hindering your ability to even be generous. I've used this analogy before. It's a treadmill that keeps you running. You're just constantly running, but you're not moving anywhere.You're not moving forward into real freedom. And that right there is truly a deep and powerful trap, isn't it? That's culture's way. That's the world's way. That is good. Hey, Ted is great.Get it now have those status symbols. But now let's look at God's way, what I call the Freedom plan. Because that's what God has. God has a plan for freedom in your life.And this is the truth. The Bible views debt as a burden to be avoided whenever possible. I'm going to say that it's a very bold thing to say. The Bible is very clear.It views debt as a burden to be avoided whenever possible. And listen to this part. Because a lot of people say, oh, Ralph's saying you can't borrow money. That's not what I'm saying. I said whenever possible.And if you do take it on, and there are reasons to have debt, I'm not one of these guys that hears, oh, you can never have a credit card. Oh, you can't have a mortgage. You can't have. That's not what I'm saying. But if you do take it on, to be diligently repaying it.But here's the other side of that. The Bible does prioritize living within your means. It's pretty straightforward. It prioritizes hard work. Look at the Scripture.We talk about that slack hand. The Bible is all about hard work. It's about patience. That's not buy now, pay later, is it? That's not patience.And it's about saving, putting away for the future. See, God's desire is for you to be free from financial obligations. Yes, he wants you to be a lender. He wants you to be a giver.He wants you to be someone that is a blesser. But he does not want you to be a borrower. You might be saying, hey, Ralph.In contrast, this path requires a lot of discipline and some delayed gratification. That kind of stinks, Ralph. But think about what it leads to. It leads to lasting peace. It leads to true financial freedom.It leads to abundant generosity. It leads to increased choices and the ability to serve God with unencumbered resources.Hey, it's a pathway to live purposefully, managing your money as a steward for God's kingdom. And listen to me on this part, not a slave to creditors. See, that burden of debt wants you to believe it's unavoidable.They want you to believe, oh, it's a tool you gotta use. Hey, that's a mark of success. Hey, I've got five houses and I got six mortgages.Yeah, I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound very freeing to me. But on the other side, God's truth invites you to a radical path of freedom. And it's truly radical. It's a radical path of freedom.It's a radical path of generosity where your resources are truly your own, and then you can use them to manage it for his glory. And that right there, as you're listening right now, is a path to genuine financial and spiritual liberation.Say, oh, my friend, you might be saying, how do we actually live out this liberating truth in a. In a world that's constantly encouraging us to borrow? Ralph, you must not live where I live, man.All around me, every time I go shopping, I see, hey, just get it now. No payments, no interest for 12 months. No interest for 18 months. You can get it now. Just sign up for this credit card.We even give you a little super bonus. What they're not telling you is they're going to rob you on interest as you go through that.But now you're saying, ralph, how do we find that unshakable peace and take that faithful action when we might already be carrying the weight of debt? Chances are, if you're listening to me right now, you're already carrying a weight of debt. And it can feel like you are drowning.It can feel like those shackles, you'll never break free of them. But I've got some practical steps today to focus on breaking those chains for financial freedom. And.And truly, and I mean this in all sincerity, truly walking in God's wisdom. Are you ready for this? Well, here's what it starts with. None of this is going to be easy. All of this is hard work.But if you want to put in the hard work, you will definitely get the blessing. So it starts with this. Get brutally honest with your debt.When I work with clients, the first thing I say to them, the first step to breaking free is knowing exactly what you're up against. Listen, if you're going to battle in a war, you got to know who your enemy is. So I'm going to encourage you. Gather every single debt that you have.Those credit cards, the student loans, the car loans, any personal Loans, any of those things, list them out, and for each debt, write down the creditor's name, the total amount owed, the minimum payment, and the interest rate. As I said a few minutes ago, here's the brutal truth. You can't defeat an enemy you don't fully understand.You got to understand what you're fighting against.And this list provides clarity and replaces that vague anxiety so many of us live in, that vague anxiety of, oh, I got a lot of debt, I got a lot of credit card debt, I got the personal loan debt, I got the mortgage debt, I got the car loan debt. But if you don't put it on paper, you don't write it out. It's a bit of anxiety about that. There's a bit of vagueness about that.So do that and put it down, those concrete numbers, because it helps you see the true scope of the battle. When generals plan battles, they put together a battle plan, they put it all down on paper so they can see what this is going to look like.So my encouragement to you today, if you want to break free of this debt cycle, set aside some dedicated time, some quiet time this week. Pull those bank statements, pull all those loan documents, pull those credit cards, those student loans.You got the idea, you know what I'm talking about? Stop hiding from it. Because when you stop hiding from it, you'll be taking a brave step towards freedom.So it starts with understanding and knowing your enemy. So once you understand your enemy, now it's time to decide on a battle plan.This is where I'm going to get into some real battle, obvious, concrete things that you can do. And I'm really going to talk about two things that I call debt crushing strategies.You probably heard about these before, the snowball or the avalanche method. Yeah, I'm going to get real practical in today's show, but I'm going to get to some scripture.I'm going to get to some faith things here in just a minute. But I wanted to give you some practicalities first. There are really two main proven methods to pay off consumer debt.The first one is the debt snowball. Just picture a snowball and you're going to list your debts from smallest to the largest balance. You're doing that intentionally.And then here's what you're going to do. You're going to pay the minimums on all but the smallest debt.Then what you're going to do is once whatever that money is left over, you're going to throw all of it at that smallest debt. You see what you're doing there. So once it's paid off, you take that payment plus the older minimum payment and add it to the next smallest debt.So smallest to largest, and see what you're doing there. Psychologically, you're knocking out the smallest one so you can start to build that momentum. So that is what we call the debt snowball method.The other side of this is what they call the debt avalanche method. In this one, you kind of flip the script a little bit. You list debts from the highest to the lowest interest rate.This is really for the person that understands the financial impact of the interest you're paying. And just like you did on the other one, you're going to pay the minimums all but the highest interest rate debt. Here's a big difference.In the debt snowball, you're paying the smallest debt to start to snowball that money to start to build that momentum. In the avalanche method, you're finding the one with the highest interest, the one that's costing you the most.You pay all the extra money on that one. Now, here's the truth. There are some people out there say, oh, you got to use the debt snowball. Oh, you got to use the avalanche method.Let me just be honest with you. In the end, both work. As I said a few minutes ago, the snowball provides psychological wins. It's a quicker payoff on those smaller debts.You can sort of see the wins happening. It helps to build that momentum.But at the same, at the same time, Avalanche saves the most money on interest over time because you choose the one that, that pays the highest interest. It's charging the highest interest rate. You start knocking those out. So now you might be saying, ralph, how do I choose which ones for me?Well, choose the one that motivates you most because there's really no correct choice, just the one that will. That you're going to stick with. That's the key to this whole thing. Which one are you going to stick with?So once you have that debt list, once you decide on which method to use, either mathematically, like I said, mathematically, avalanche is better. You're paying off the highest interest first.But emotionally, if you're an emotional person, the snowball method keeps people going because they see that quick wins. But the key in both of these, the key in both of these is to make a firm commitment. So list those debts, choose your path.Third thing I'm going to recommend you do is cut spending and unleash more income for debt attack. See, if you really want to accelerate debt repayment if you really want to break these chains, you need more money flowing in towards it.You need to put more water in that fire hose to put out that debt fire. There's a couple ways you can do that. Again, this is not rocket science. It's pretty straightforward stuff. There's really two ways.You can reduce your current expenses or you can increase your income. It's really that simple. So I'm going to encourage you. Look at your budget, look at your God first budget.I talked about that in the first episode that I did of this new series. Maybe identify some non essential spending that you can temporarily cut. See even just think about this for a second.Every dollar you free up now is a dollar that attacks your debt. Take those troops from what they're spending, the discretionary spending, and put them into the battle against this debt.Because when you do that, you're going to save interest and you're going to shorten the long term battle of that debt journey. A lot of people say, Ralph, okay, so what you're telling me, the only way to get out of this is to deprive myself?Yes, but listen, it isn't about deprivation forever, but it is a sacrifice for a season to gain freedom. One of the things I encourage people all the time to do is challenge yourself to a no spend week.Yeah, you're like, ralph, that sounds like a great idea. What are you talking about? Really think about what I just said. Don't spend any money for the whole week. Pack your lunch.Obviously you're going to, you're going to go to the grocery store and buy some, some food so you can pack a lunch but don't eat out that week. Pack your lunches. Cancel any unused subscriptions. That is just a siphon on so many people's budgets.Cancel them, even the ones you watch for now it's a season. Like I said, what feels better? That subscription or that long term feeling of debt? Freedom and breaking those shackles of debt?Maybe cook more at home, stop eating out. Maybe you sell some unused items around your house and throw that at that debt. That's all the expense side.Well, on the income side, maybe you need to get a second job. Maybe consider a temporary side hustle to earn some extra income. But the idea that you're going to use that to enlist that in the war against debt.Because each of these things, all of these ideas will help you build freedom into that momentum and give you wins to keep your debt reduction plan going. Now here's one of the things that a lot of people in the finance industry don't talk about.Yeah, they'll give you a great avalanche plans, they'll give you great debt snowball plans. But Ralph's going to add a little.I'm talking to myself in third person, like I've lost my mind, but I'm going to add something that's a little bit bigger than that. Like I said, a lot of people don't think about this one. So this is a big takeaway from here.One of the things I'm also going to encourage you to do is build a small emergency fund even while you're in debt. You're like, ralph, wait a second. You told me to look through my budget and grab all the extra money I can and pay it towards the debt.Yes, I want you to do that. But here's what I want you to do. In addition to that, while you're aggressively paying off that debt, when you have that plan, you've made that list.At the same time, I want you to aim to save a small emergency fund, maybe $1,000 or $2,000 or maybe one month's essential expenses, because this is part of that foundational step that's going to happen. Because here's the truth. If you're like me, life happens. Those car repairs, those medical bills, that unexpected job loss.And see, without an emergency fund, without some go to money, those unexpected events can force you right back into debt. And if you're not careful, that could derail the progress that you've made and steal your hope. I've seen it happen to so many people.They'll come in and meet with me. We'll put together a plan for them. Or I'll coach them and they'll say, ralph, I'm getting really, I'm really doing well on this debt repayment.I call them a week later and they're like, oh, Ralph, man, I totally gave up on the debt repayment plan. I said, what happened? You were so excited about this, you were so eager to do it. Yeah, well, I lost my job.And Ralph, the only choice I have is to go run up that credit card again because I got to put food on the table. And listen, I'm not judging them. I get it.But if you have that emergency fund that can act as a buffer against those surprises, those unexpected job losses, those emergency medical bills, those car repairs you weren't expecting. So one of the things I would encourage you to do is build this emergency savings plan right in your God first budget.Now, from a practical state, that might mean you have to pause Some aggressive debt payments to build this fund. But once you build that fund, then you return to crushing that debt. So those are the really the financial actions that you could take.All of those things will work. List the debts, decide on a method, aggressively pay those things, and build that emergency fund.But one of the things on this show that I wanted to go deeper with and I wanted to really get into was the spiritual side of this. There is a spiritual component to all of this. Remember what I said at the beginning, that truth of that, that truth unveiled.That's why I call it truth unveiled, the biblical truth about this. We talked a little bit about the contrast between culture, but let's talk about the spiritual side of this.It starts by making a commitment to pray specifically for wisdom, to pray specifically for discipline, and hear me on this and pray for provision regarding debt. The things that I encourage people almost every day is make getting out of debt a specific and regular prayer request.Now, I can already hear the world saying, well, how's God going to help you get out of debt? Dude, have you lost your mind? But he can truly help you get out of debt. You've just got to ask him. You're like, ralph, how do I do that?Well, ask him for wisdom to make the right financial choices. Lord, help me to make those right financial choices. Ask him for discipline to stick to your plan.Lord, I made this plan, and I'm really struggling with it. I know it's a season for me, but, Lord, I feel like it's so easy to just put it aside and go get those things that culture tells me I want to get.So pray about that and pray about his miraculous provision to help you break free. Because if you're being honest, you've got to admit that debt can be a spiritual battlefield. We talk about the battlefield.I painted that analogy of this battle. But many times, debt can be a spiritual battlefield for so many of us who are going through it.And if we're in a spiritual battle, we need God's supernatural help to break free from its grip and to overcome the temptations that lead to it. And prayer on your knees, prayer invites his power into your situation. So I want to encourage you daily bring your debt list before the Lord.You're thinking, Ralph? Yes. I'm saying pray over each one. I'm going to say, lord, I've got this mortgage. Lord, I've got this credit card.Lord, I've got this purchase personal loan. Pray over each and every one of them. I know it's very countercultural. And at the Same time, confess any impatience or greed that contributed to it.Maybe as you're going through those debts, you're thinking about, man, I really made some bad choices. Hey, I'm right there with you. I've made the bad choices. But you made a commitment to pay it. And the Bible is very clear, you need to pay your debts.But it would really help you to confess that impatience or confess that greed, that feeling. You had to have it right now. You had to have what culture was telling you, had to have.Just lay it before him in prayer and trust him to guide your steps and to provide opportunities for you. There's something that you're not going to see in common culture. It's very counterintuitive.But I also want to truly encourage you to do something else. I just had a client in yesterday. She's really been through a tough time, health wise. She's had to leave her job, she's on disability.And we were having a counseling session. She's really doing much better. Health is getting better. And she said something to me right before she walked out the door.She said, ralph, I'm kind of scared about doing this. She says, but I feel like I need to start tithing again. And I was like, yeah, that's true. And I'm not sure what she expected me to say.But this is what I would encourage you to do right now. Prioritize giving, even while in debt. See, that's an act of faith. And this is exactly what I said to her yesterday.Even if every penny feels like it needs to go to debt, if every penny feels like, I don't know if I have enough, Ralph, you got to continue to honor God with your tithes and your offerings, because that right there is a powerful act of faith in his provision. Even when you're struggling. And I'm going to say something bold, it might just be the thing that you have to do to finally break that struggle.You might be wondering, Ralph, why is this? Why am I giving an answer? Because I truly, I've been praying about this, and I truly believe this is the case. Giving puts God first.If you want to break free of debt, if you want to break free of those shackles that are holding you a slave to your debts, you got to put God first and you got to remind your heart. Because sometimes we get lost in this. You got to remind your heart that he is your ultimate provider. It's Him.It's not your paycheck, it's not your creditors. It's not what's in your bank account, he is your ultimate provider.Now that's a counter cultural act, but it breaks that scarcity mindset and it opens the door for God's blessing.So as I talked about in that God first budget, before you even get to anything else, before your debt payments, and I said this to the client yesterday, put giving first.And yes, I know that sounds radical, but listen, we need to be radical with our finances if we're going to break the shackles of what the culture wants to leave us in. And again, like I said, I know it sounds radical.And just like I said to her yesterday, start small if you need to, it's okay to ease into that and say, lord, I'm going to do this. I'm not sure. Yeah, this scares me, Lord. Confess that in prayer. Say to Lord, I'm concerned about this, Lord.So start small if you need to, but be faithful and trust his promises.And finally, in this debt battle, it's time to practice radical contentment and gratitude, which in the end, the end of this, we're really talking about countering entitlement. That's one of the big things.When I work with people and I talk about how to break free of that cycle of financial shame, how to break free of that cycle of debt, many times it's because you feel entitled. And I know that's not a nice thing to say. Well, Ralph, I can't believe you just said that you feel entitled.That's the problem that most people, you're not going to like what I'm getting ready to say. But most people end up in debt because they have this entitlement mentality. Well, everybody's got a brand new car, Ralph.Everybody's got a brand new house with a big mortgage. Everybody's got a boat, Ralph. Everybody's got credit cards, everybody goes on vacation.But I want to encourage you to track this radical contentment and gratitude. Actively choose to be content with what you have rather than constantly wanting more. Especially those things.Listen, especially those things that would put you further into debt. Work to cultivate a heart of gratitude for your current blessings.And in the end, if we're being brutally honest, much of our consumer debt is driven by discontentment and a desire for that instant gratification or oftentimes external validation. We're looking for that external validation. Hey, everybody's got to see what I've got. Look at, I just pulled up in that driveway. Look at this car.You look at the debt you just took home for that car.I got to have this instant gratification Time and see, the radical part of this is contentment frees you from the pressure to keep up with other people. And that gratitude opens your eyes to God abundance. So you might be saying, ralph, yeah, you're right. I need to do this. How do I do it?Well, I'm going to encourage you to daily list things you're grateful for. I talk about this in my daily show all the time. Just list two or three, maybe four things that you're grateful for today.Stop comparing your life to others. Listen, it may be time to take a break from social media. I feel like I'm harping on that, but to me it's just a comparison tunnel in that.I'm also going to encourage you to focus on experiences over possessions and choose joy in what God has already provided. Friend, listen. The burden of debt is a real heavy weight that tries to steal your peace.It tries to steal your joy and it tries to steal your freedom. It tells you this huge lie that you have to live tied to payments, perpetually working for a past decision.It keeps you on that treadmill, feeling trapped. But God's truth calls us to something completely different.He calls us to radical financial freedom, a life unburdened, a life where your resources are fully available. To obey his call to be generous and to live with incredible peace. And hear me, you are absolutely not alone in this struggle, my friend.God sees the weight you're carrying. He sees that burden. That's why I talked about prayer. He feels the stresses that you feel, and he knows your deep desire to be free.And here's the best part. He wants you to be free.And he offers you a way to finally step off of that treadmill, to break those invisible chains and to find deep peace and purpose. Not in borrowing what did the word say? Don't be a borrower. But he wants you to find peace in abundant living.Under his provision, he offers a freedom that isn't dependent on endless accumulation, but on his unfailing love, his eternal truth, and his desire for your flourishing. So let's choose that today, together, to encourage our debts, let's choose to diligently work towards freedom over accepting this burden.Let's choose God's wisdom over cultural promises of instant gratification.Knowing this, knowing that our truest joy, our deepest security, and our most fulfilling purposes are found in truly walking with God, managing His resources, and living a life unchanged. Because this is where real freedom is lived. This is where financial and spiritual wholeness truly blossoms.And as we wrap up today, friend, I want to Share something even more important than breaking free of debt. Hey, listen, that's a big thing.But even more important than that, or maybe even more important than finding financial peace, and that's about the deepest connection of all, and that's a relationship with God himself, the one who created you, the one who loves you like I told you, loves you beyond measure.If you've been listening today, perhaps feeling the heavy weight of the world, the heavy weight of that debtor feeling that emptiness deep down inside it, no amount of material possessions or financial freedom that can truly fill it, maybe your heart's been gently nudged to realize, hey, you know what? The only real lasting security and peace doesn't come from the stuff I can buy, doesn't come from the stuff that I'm going to go into debt for.But the only real lasting security and peace comes from God himself. And as you're listening right now, perhaps you've never truly given your whole life to Jesus Christ. Yeah, you may have heard about him, perhaps.I know that guy, Jesus. Yeah, I know about him. But you've never taken that step to trust him completely. I want to remind you of something. He is the one who beat sin.He's the one who beat death. And yes, he even beat the burdens of debt and the despair of this world. Hey, talk about counterculture. That's what he defeated.And he offers not just good advice for life, but advice for eternal life and a relationship with God that absolutely nothing can shake or steal.So if you feel that gentle push right now, that stirring in your spirit right now, if your heart is saying yes, I want to invite you to pray this simple prayer with me right now from the deepest part of your heart. Dear Heavenly Father, I know I'm a sinner and I really need your forgiveness.And I believe with all my heart that Jesus Christ is your son and that he died on the cross for my sins. I also believe that you powerfully raised him from the dead. And I confess my sins to you right now, Lord, all of them.I humbly ask you to come into my life. I give my life to you today, completely. I choose to follow you, Jesus, as my Lord and Savior, starting now and forever.Thank you so much for your amazing love and for the precious gift of eternal life. And I just ask this humbly, Lord. Amen.Listen, if you prayed that prayer, or maybe you're just thinking about it, I want you to know, friend, that heaven is celebrating your decision right now. You are now a loved child of God and your real wealth. Hear me, your real wealth, wealth that actually matters is safe with him forever.And I just want to encourage you to share this decision with a trusted Christian friend or maybe you know, a pastor. Or reach out to us at Ask Ralph Media. We'd love to hear from you and help you figure out your next steps in faith.You can go right to truthunveiledwithRalph.com/decision because your next step is finding a good Bible believing church home. It's super important for you to grow in Christ. I just want to thank you for joining me today on Truth Unveiled with Ralph.I just want to ask that God would richly bless you, my dear friend, as you live for him in every part of your life. I hope you can find peace and experience his care and love every day.One more thing, I just want to encourage you now if you know someone who would benefit from this show, I ask that you would reach out to them and share this show. We just point them to our website.That's TruthunveiledwithRalph.com Truth is there are so many people hurting right now, trapped in that cycle of financial shame and that deep trap of dead and that deep trap of despair. In this show, the message of a loving God may be the lifeline that they need.A message of hope, a message of peace, and yes, a message of truth in a sea of lies all around them. You may very well be their shelter in this storm.So I would encourage you share with them this beautiful truth of Jesus and how our relationship with him will deeply enrich their lives. I'm going to encourage you next week to come back and join me again where I unveil God's truth in a world full of questions. Hey, honestly.In a world full of lies. So until then, I just want to encourage you, walk in faith, learn in wisdom and live confident in Christ.God bless you and you have a great day today,