Does Gratitude Actually Change My Financial Situation?

Ralph:00:00:00

We talk a lot about practical steps for your money on this

Ralph:00:00:02

show, but what if one of the most powerful tools isn't a spreadsheet?

Ralph:00:00:07

Isn't a budget app, but something as simple as saying, thank you.

Ralph:00:00:13

Can gratitude actually transform your financial situation?

Ralph:00:00:16

Well, stick with me today 'cause I've got the answer on today's show.

Ralph:00:00:35

Hello and welcome back to your Daily Financially Confident Christian.

Ralph:00:00:38

I'm Ralph and it's great to be with you again.

Ralph:00:00:40

I just wanna thank you for trusting me with your time as we continue

Ralph:00:00:44

on our journey, answering that big question, how can I become a

Ralph:00:00:48

financially confident Christian?

Ralph:00:00:50

And we're continuing our new series today beyond the budget.

Ralph:00:00:53

Finding financial freedom through intentional living,

Ralph:00:00:56

and that is really what we're focused on for the next 30 days.

Ralph:00:01:00

And yesterday we talked about cultivating contentment in a world of more and more.

Ralph:00:01:05

More.

Ralph:00:01:05

If you miss it, I'm gonna encourage you to check it out because I really gave

Ralph:00:01:08

you some great ideas of how to break the world's hold in that feeling that you

Ralph:00:01:12

just gotta go get more and more and more.

Ralph:00:01:15

Well, today we're gonna focus on something a little bit different.

Ralph:00:01:18

We're gonna answer this question.

Ralph:00:01:20

Does gratitude actually change my financial situation?

Ralph:00:01:24

Yeah.

Ralph:00:01:24

Might seem a little contrary to what you might think, but I'm gonna

Ralph:00:01:28

answer that question on today's show.

Ralph:00:01:29

We're gonna answer.

Ralph:00:01:30

Does gratitude actually change my financial situation?

Ralph:00:01:34

And because maybe like most people, a lot of people, I'll take

Ralph:00:01:37

myself as an example, maybe you're focused on what you don't have.

Ralph:00:01:42

See, it's so easy to look at our lives and account for what we,

Ralph:00:01:45

we, what we see, what's missing.

Ralph:00:01:47

We, we don't have that.

Ralph:00:01:48

I. We don't have that same fancy car like our neighbor has, or we don't have the

Ralph:00:01:52

vacation home, or we don't take those, those vacations like our neighbors have.

Ralph:00:01:57

And you compare yourself, you compare your life, and you feel like you're

Ralph:00:02:00

just constantly falling behind.

Ralph:00:02:03

Well, really what that is, is just this scarcity mindset.

Ralph:00:02:07

A lot of people get stuck in it.

Ralph:00:02:08

I've been stuck in that from times in my life.

Ralph:00:02:10

It's a scarcity mindset, and what it does is it really drives over

Ralph:00:02:14

spending, but bigger than that.

Ralph:00:02:17

It just keeps you chasing more and more.

Ralph:00:02:20

And we talked about that a lot yesterday because that that goalpost

Ralph:00:02:23

just keeps moving farther and farther.

Ralph:00:02:26

And as you're chasing more, it's just creating more anxiety.

Ralph:00:02:30

And if you have a lot of anxiety, you're not getting to a place of financial peace.

Ralph:00:02:36

But here's the thing, the Bible makes a very strong connection

Ralph:00:02:39

between gratitude and peace.

Ralph:00:02:42

Let's look at the book of Philippians, chapter four,

Ralph:00:02:44

verses six and seven says this.

Ralph:00:02:47

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition.

Ralph:00:02:53

With Thanksgiving, present your request to God and the peace of God

Ralph:00:02:58

will guard your hearts and your minds.

Ralph:00:03:01

I love this verse.

Ralph:00:03:04

See, gratitude reduces anxiety.

Ralph:00:03:07

Don't be anxious about anything, but in every situation with prayer and petition.

Ralph:00:03:12

With Thanksgiving, see that Thanksgiving, it shifts the focus

Ralph:00:03:17

from that feeling of scarcity.

Ralph:00:03:19

And it's so easy to feel like that because we're always

Ralph:00:03:21

comparing ourselves to others.

Ralph:00:03:23

We always feel like we don't have what they have, but it really shifts

Ralph:00:03:27

our focus from scarcity to abundance.

Ralph:00:03:31

And the other side of this, present your request to God.

Ralph:00:03:34

See, this strengthens trust in God's provision.

Ralph:00:03:37

'cause God is producing for you.

Ralph:00:03:39

He is providing for you.

Ralph:00:03:41

Big picture thing.

Ralph:00:03:43

It fights that lie.

Ralph:00:03:44

That lie that more money equals more peace.

Ralph:00:03:47

Hey, our culture screams that from the rooftop.

Ralph:00:03:50

Social media, you name it, it's just a lie.

Ralph:00:03:55

It's that lie that, hey, if I have more money, I'm gonna have more peace.

Ralph:00:03:59

I don't know about you, but I've met people with a lot of money and they

Ralph:00:04:01

don't seem like they have a lot of peace.

Ralph:00:04:04

So now you're asking Ralph, what can we do?

Ralph:00:04:05

How, how do we use gratitude to really do the shift you're talking about?

Ralph:00:04:10

Well, I've got the solution, and the way that you need to do it is to cultivate a

Ralph:00:04:15

consistent habit of financial gratitude.

Ralph:00:04:19

I'm gonna get to how you do that in just a minute, but it starts

Ralph:00:04:22

with two really basic things.

Ralph:00:04:26

Acknowledge and appreciate what you already have.

Ralph:00:04:30

Acknowledge it.

Ralph:00:04:31

Hey, I've got it.

Ralph:00:04:31

I'm gonna talk a little bit about the specifics here in a moment.

Ralph:00:04:34

I've got it.

Ralph:00:04:35

And then appreciate it and express that to God and express that to others.

Ralph:00:04:39

So here's your one action step for today to really get you in that ability to

Ralph:00:04:44

con, you know, consistently cultivate that habit of financial gratitude.

Ralph:00:04:48

I want you to start by creating what I'm gonna call the thank you inventory.

Ralph:00:04:53

I want you to start today, just list five, six, or seven specific financial blessings

Ralph:00:04:58

that I'm gonna give you some examples, but I just want you to list those out.

Ralph:00:05:02

Maybe something like, I was able to pay my electric bill this month without stress.

Ralph:00:05:06

Hey, that's something to be grateful for.

Ralph:00:05:09

Or maybe I have a reliable used car that gets me to work every day.

Ralph:00:05:12

Hey, it's not.

Ralph:00:05:12

It's not the fancy new sports car we talked about the other day, but

Ralph:00:05:16

I have a reliable used car that gets me to work every single day.

Ralph:00:05:21

Here's a great one that you can really consider during times of inflation.

Ralph:00:05:24

There's groceries in the fridge and food on the table.

Ralph:00:05:28

Thank God for that.

Ralph:00:05:30

Or maybe this one.

Ralph:00:05:31

Hey, my paycheck came in on time this week.

Ralph:00:05:33

It's a good thing to get paid on time, but be grateful.

Ralph:00:05:35

Appreciate that.

Ralph:00:05:36

Acknowledge it.

Ralph:00:05:38

Maybe you recently paid off a credit card and you've been working so

Ralph:00:05:41

hard and so diligently to do that.

Ralph:00:05:45

Maybe a friend gave you some free tickets to event that

Ralph:00:05:48

you couldn't afford to go to.

Ralph:00:05:49

Maybe you're gonna tag along as a friend with them.

Ralph:00:05:51

That's something to be grateful for.

Ralph:00:05:54

Or as we get closer to getting ready for school, whereas in Juba,

Ralph:00:05:57

we're getting closer, maybe my children's school supplies are

Ralph:00:06:00

all taken care of for the fall.

Ralph:00:06:01

You've already put the money aside, you've handled that.

Ralph:00:06:05

So start that, that simple thank you inventory, and just

Ralph:00:06:09

say those things out loud.

Ralph:00:06:10

Write those down.

Ralph:00:06:12

Gonna start to change your mindset.

Ralph:00:06:14

Then the second component to this, I really need you to

Ralph:00:06:18

express that gratitude to God.

Ralph:00:06:20

Choose just one item from your list, the one that really is impactful

Ralph:00:06:24

to you, and then just reach out to God in prayer and just say, Lord, I

Ralph:00:06:28

just thank you for your provision.

Ralph:00:06:29

For example, Lord, thank you for providing me with steady income.

Ralph:00:06:33

Even when things feel tight, you continue to meet my daily needs.

Ralph:00:06:37

Help me trust you in faithfulness.

Ralph:00:06:40

And use what I have wisely.

Ralph:00:06:42

Amen on that one.

Ralph:00:06:43

Or maybe this one.

Ralph:00:06:44

Father, thank you for that unexpected gift from my friend.

Ralph:00:06:47

It reminded me that you see me and you care for even the little joys, and

Ralph:00:06:53

I give you praise for your goodness.

Ralph:00:06:56

So just reach out to God and thank him for it, and then I'm gonna encourage

Ralph:00:06:59

you to do one more thing, and that's truly express gratitude to someone else.

Ralph:00:07:05

It's easy to make those lists for yourself.

Ralph:00:07:06

It's kind of easy to say to as the God, but how about

Ralph:00:07:09

expressing those to someone else?

Ralph:00:07:10

Identify someone who's helped you specifically financially.

Ralph:00:07:14

Maybe send them a text or give them a call and just say, Hey, you know

Ralph:00:07:17

what, Sally, I really appreciate it.

Ralph:00:07:19

You helped me last week, or You helped me get through a tough time.

Ralph:00:07:23

Or, Hey, here's one.

Ralph:00:07:24

People don't do a lot of write a note.

Ralph:00:07:25

I love notes.

Ralph:00:07:26

People don't do it anymore, but write a note to just say thank you.

Ralph:00:07:31

For example, maybe text a friend who covered your lunch.

Ralph:00:07:33

Say, Hey, just wanted to thank you again for lunch last week.

Ralph:00:07:35

Could really help me out more than you know, you're a blessing.

Ralph:00:07:41

Or maybe call your parents, Hey, we all need to do that.

Ralph:00:07:43

I wish I could call my mom.

Ralph:00:07:44

She passed away a couple years ago.

Ralph:00:07:45

So cherish the ability to do that.

Ralph:00:07:47

But call your parents who helped you maybe for a down payment on

Ralph:00:07:50

your house and say, mom and dad.

Ralph:00:07:51

I've been thinking today about how grateful I am for your help in this house

Ralph:00:07:54

as I sit here this morning in the kitchen.

Ralph:00:07:57

And I don't say it enough, but thank you for believing in me and supporting me.

Ralph:00:08:02

Or maybe Ray a thank you note to your pastor or to a church member

Ralph:00:08:05

who once helped with a bill.

Ralph:00:08:07

Maybe your generosity during a tough season of my life made a lasting impact.

Ralph:00:08:11

Thank you for being the hands and feet of Christ when I need it the most.

Ralph:00:08:15

And see this kind of stuff really helps, and I'm gonna tell you why it helps.

Ralph:00:08:21

Gratitude truly rewires your mind.

Ralph:00:08:24

It rewires it towards abundance.

Ralph:00:08:26

You start to move away from that, that scarcity, anxiety, riddled

Ralph:00:08:30

place that you are in right now.

Ralph:00:08:32

It reduces stress because you don't have that fear of, of

Ralph:00:08:36

lack, that fear of scarcity.

Ralph:00:08:38

And if you do the things I mentioned, it's gonna improve relationships.

Ralph:00:08:41

'cause people are going to appreciate the fact that you're

Ralph:00:08:44

thankful for what you have.

Ralph:00:08:46

Because I don't know about you, but I can't stand to be around people

Ralph:00:08:48

that are always complaining, always talking about what they don't

Ralph:00:08:51

have, all the lack that they have.

Ralph:00:08:54

And when you, when you express the thankfulness for what you have, hey man,

Ralph:00:08:58

that, that just spreads like a wildfire.

Ralph:00:09:01

And when you acknowledge it to God, what you're doing is you're really anchoring

Ralph:00:09:04

your peace in God and not what you lack.

Ralph:00:09:09

Well, let's pray together.

Ralph:00:09:10

Father God, we just thank you for all you've given us.

Ralph:00:09:12

The provision is abounding to us.

Ralph:00:09:15

It's so abundant, Lord.

Ralph:00:09:16

And we have to confess that we often focus on what's missing, Lord, it's so easy

Ralph:00:09:20

for us to pick apart what we don't have.

Ralph:00:09:23

And we just ask you to help us to see your hand in our finances, Lord,

Ralph:00:09:27

and give us hearts full of gratitude and help us to express that thanks

Ralph:00:09:32

consistently to you and to others Lord.

Ralph:00:09:34

And we ask this with confidence, In Jesus' name.

Ralph:00:09:38

Amen.

Ralph:00:09:39

Listen, gratitude isn't just a feeling.

Ralph:00:09:43

It's not a simple feeling, oh, I'm gonna do this gratitude, I'm gonna feel great.

Ralph:00:09:46

No, it's a transformational force in your life.

Ralph:00:09:50

So I just wanna encourage you one more time, acknowledge and express

Ralph:00:09:53

your blessings today because that is helping you move towards freedom.

Ralph:00:09:58

And one of the things that you can do is share this episode

Ralph:00:10:00

with someone who needs it.

Ralph:00:10:01

There's a lot of people out there right now who are hurting.

Ralph:00:10:05

Maybe that person who doesn't understand what they have and what they can be

Ralph:00:10:08

grateful for, maybe to send them a text and just say, Hey, I listened to this

Ralph:00:10:11

podcast and I really got a lot from it.

Ralph:00:10:14

You might want to consider doing it, or you can point them to our website that's

Ralph:00:10:17

financially confident christian.com.

Ralph:00:10:21

I've got a free gift for you as well.

Ralph:00:10:22

I'm gonna give you a copy of my book.

Ralph:00:10:24

It's called Mastering Your Finances.

Ralph:00:10:26

You can get that@financiallyconfidentchristian.com

Ralph:00:10:29

slash master.

Ralph:00:10:31

It's absolutely free to you.

Ralph:00:10:32

Just go there and you can download it.

Ralph:00:10:35

Now tomorrow we're gonna talk about clarifying your values and how that

Ralph:00:10:39

helps you spend with a purpose.

Ralph:00:10:41

We're really gonna get into clarifying values and how to spend with a purpose.

Ralph:00:10:44

So I'm gonna encourage you not to miss it.

Ralph:00:10:46

Now, let's go.

Ralph:00:10:47

Go out there and be financially confident.

Ralph:00:10:50

Christians, you can do this.

Ralph:00:10:51

I believe in you.

Ralph:00:10:54

Believe in yourself.

Ralph:00:10:55

Stay financially savvy.

Ralph:00:10:56

God bless you, and you have a great day today.