Here's How Pride Hinders Biblical Financial Health

Can we talk about pride and biblical financial health for a minute? I don’t think we consider its impact on our finances enough. Here are a few ways pride hinders our ability to obtain biblical financial health:

 1. Pride forgets that God is the source of all good things.

James 1:17 reminds us that God is the provider of all good things, and Psalm 24:1 reminds us that God owns it all. When pride creeps into our hearts, we begin to think we provided ourselves with the good things we enjoy and that we own it all. What follows are me-centered financial decisions rather wise stewardship decisions.

2. Pride resists wise counsel.

Proverbs 12:15 tells us that it is the wise who seek out and listen to wise counsel, but a fool does what he wants to. Admitting we don’t know something and need help can be difficult. I often see this in adults. They feel like they should know more about finances than they do. They are embarrassed to ask for help and often opt for less-than-ideal money moves.

3. Pride rejects accountability.

A prideful heart does not want anyone to question his or her money decisions. A prideful heart doesn’t want to be transparent or challenged. But biblical financial health often thrives when Christian accountability is present.

4. Pride often fuels materialism and comparison.

The desire to be perceived as someone to have achieved worldly success often pushes people to spend what they cannot afford or live paycheck-to-paycheck. As Proverbs 13:7 says, “One person pretends to be rich, yet has nothing; another pretends to be poor, yet has great wealth.”

5. Pride delays repentance and real change.

Proverbs 16:18 reminds us, Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” Pride tells us that we are okay when we are actually far from God’s design for money. Pride tells us that we don’t need to ask for God’s forgiveness for poor stewardship.

Instead of pride, approach stewardship with humility. Avoid the downfall that follows pride and experience the blessings that follow aligning your money with God’s plan and purpose.