The Spiritual Nature of Financial Decisions
Jesus never said, "Don’t have treasure." He said to pay attention to what your treasure reveals about your heart.
Money touches nearly every part of our lives—how we live, what we prioritize, what we worry about, and what we hope for. But too often, we treat finances like a separate category—over here on the “practical” side of life—while keeping faith on the “spiritual” side.
That divide is artificial. And unhelpful. Because every financial decision we make is also a spiritual one. Jesus said it best:
“Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21
He wasn’t saying, “Don’t have treasure.” He was saying, “Pay attention to what your treasure reveals about your heart.”
The Spiritual Nature of Financial Decisions
Let’s start with a basic but bold claim:
Money is spiritual.
Not because it’s holy in itself—but because it shapes what we love, how we trust, and what we fear. That means how we handle money isn’t just a practical matter—it’s a discipleship issue.
Here’s what I’ve learned, both as a pastor and now as a financial advisor:
People don’t just want strategies. They want peace.
They don’t just want to be “better with money.” They want to feel like their money means something.
They want freedom—from fear, from pressure, from shame—and to feel like they’re living with purpose.
Sound familiar?
These are spiritual longings. And we bring them into every budget, every investment, every giving decision—whether we know it or not.
Reframing the Way We See Money
So, what if we stopped asking:
“Am I making enough?”
“Am I spending too much?”
“Am I saving the right way?”
…and started asking:
“Does the way I use money reflect what I truly value?”
“Am I trusting God in how I earn, save, give, and spend?”
“Does my financial life support the kind of person I believe I’m called to be?”
When we shift the questions, we shift the outcomes.
A Simple Starting Point
This week, I invite you to reflect on one question:
Where do my financial decisions and my faith most clearly align—and where do they feel disconnected?
Be honest. This isn’t about guilt; this is about awareness.
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need to start paying attention to what your financial life is saying—and whether that story matches the one you want to live.
What’s Next
Over the next few weeks, we’ll keep digging into this theme:
How faith convictions shape economic life
What Jesus teaches about money and the Kingdom of God
How to move from separation to integration, with real-world examples
If you haven’t already, hit Subscribe to follow along. Each post will land gently in your inbox—real, practical, and grounded in Scripture.
Thanks for being here. Here’s to a faithful, purposeful, peace-filled financial life.
Grace and peace,
Josh
Josh’s Substack is free. As a faith-based Financial Advisor, he doesn’t want something from you, he wants something for you — namely, for you to live a life of financial well-being so that you can pursue faith-inspired living.
If you would benefit from further conversation on the topic of this post, retirement planning, investment management, charitable giving, or anything else related to your finances, please don’t hesitate to reach out.