Afraid You’ll Stall Again?

Speaker A00:00:27

It's the last day of the year, and for so many people, this day brings pressure more than celebration. So let's take a moment and breathe together. Do you ever set resolutions with big hope only to stall out by week two?Hey, listen, for me, it's usually day two, sometimes hour two. That's why I don't believe in those stupid resolutions. Do you ever think, why can't I stay consistent? Why do I lose momentum so fast?Friend, hear this with grace. Resolutions fade, but discipleship, hey, that endures. Spiritual growth and financial growth aren't sprints. They're a steady walk with Jesus.You're not trying to win January. You're trying to learn how to walk the journey. Because in the kingdom of God, faithfulness beats intensity every single time.That's what we're going to talk about on today's show. Hey, friend, Ralph Fe Jr. Here.Welcome to Financially Confident Christian, where we walk by faith, we grow in wisdom, and we build peace one simple, steady step at a time. My mission here is simple.To help you break that cycle of financial shame and build rhythms rooted in scripture and walk in the kind of financial peace that only God's wisdom can produce. If you're joining us for the first time, hey, welcome to the show.If you're returning, I am so grateful you're here on this reflective and meaningful day. As we said, today's the final day of the year and we're not talking about hype. A lot of people be talking about hype today.We're not talking about fireworks or some fresh start pressure. We're talking about something deeper, and that's staying faithful long after the excitement fades.Because January motivation comes and goes, but a spiritually anchored rhythm keeps you grounded all year long. A listener wrote this. Ralph, I want a resolution that actually lasts this time. I don't want another January where I start strong and install out.How do I stay faithful throughout the year, not just the first few weeks. Friend, I hear that question, and it comes from such a sincere heart. And I bet you're not the only one that's carrying that weight today.So many of us feel this tension. We long for growth, but we fear quitting. We want transformation, but we're tired of disappointing ourselves. But here's the hope.You're not chasing perfection. You're walking with Jesus. This isn't about intensity. This is about a direction. It's about endurance. It's about the long, steady journey with him.And research shows something truly sobering. Yes, many people set goals and within a few weeks Those goals quietly fade.But the people who keep growing month after month almost always share these three things. You ready for them? A supportive community, simple, repeatable rhythms, and gentle, steady accountability.Those three elements create long term, sustainable transformation.And today I want to share a thought from pastor and author Eugene Peterson, a man who dedicated his life to helping believers not just read scripture, but live scripture. He captured the entire journey of discipleship in one simple phrase. Now, this is the guy that wrote the message Bible. This is what he said.Long obedience in the same direction. Transformation isn't a one time movement. It's a path. It's a journey. It's a steady commitment. It's not explosive, it's consistent.And consistency, more than intensity is what shapes a life. And I've worked and walked with families for decades through victories and valleys and breakthroughs and setbacks and everything in between.And I've witnessed one truth over and over. God always finishes what he starts. Sustainable financial progress is spiritual well before it's numerical.When the heart aligns with God, the habits follow every single time. One listener once told me, I'm done with perfect January's route that collapsed by February. So she tried something new, something simple.She committed to just three things. Here's what she committed to. One monthly money check in, rooting herself in community and saying a simple prayer before every financial decision.Just those three things. A monthly check in, rooting herself in community and saying a simple prayer before every financial decision.One year later, her debt was down, almost gone. Actually. Her giving was up. I'm talking about way up. And her peace was real. I'm talking about real peace.It wasn't because she hustled harder, but because she stayed faithful to the journey. It was that consistency, not intensity, that transformed her year. So how do you stop stalling?How do you walk with God financially for an entirety or not? Just the first week. Let's unpack this together. It starts with seeing your finances as a journey, not a January project.So many people get stuck on this January project thing. Projects are short term. These journeys we're talking about build character. A project ends when excitement fades.A journey continues even when motivation drops and life gets really messy. Our lives get messy, don't they? Think about it. In January, let's say you buy a new planner.You've got the colorful pens, the fresh budgeting app subscription, and by the second week, the planner is buried under mail. The app hasn't been open in 10 days, and pens are somewhere in your car. That's a project mentality. But here's what a journey says.A journey says, I'm not trying to win the first week of January. I'm learning how to walk faithfully for the next 12 months. That progress unfolds over months, not moving.And that journey gives space for grace without losing direction. You don't have to rush. You just have to keep walking and keep walking. But build those monthly rhythms. Rhythms anchor you and motivation disappears.And when life gets complicated, guess what? Life is going to get complicated. Your motivation is going to disappear. But that monthly review keeps your decisions aligned and intentional.That prayer rhythm keeps your heart aligned with God's pace and purpose and. And resolutions are loud and short lived. But rhythms, man, they are quiet and powerful. Here's an example.Let's say you block the first Saturday morning every month. Cup of coffee, Bible open. Check your accounts, pay a bill, move your savings. Pray over the month ahead.It takes just 20 minutes, but it gives you clarity. For 30 days. For a whole month. Or maybe your rhythm is simpler.A two minute check every payday, A quick prayer at bedtime, a weekly glance at your spending. Those small rhythms build big results. Because let me tell you something right now. Rhythms are always greater than resolutions. Always.But you got to expect wins and what I'll call lessons. Because both are growth. Sure. Wins show your progress. Those are great. But lessons show where God is still shaping. You talk about some wins.This one when maybe you automated your giving, that's a win. Or maybe you build a $300 emergency cushion, that's a win. Or maybe you finally understood your paycheck deduction. A lot of people don't get those.Those are wins. Those are real wins. But we also got some lessons in life. Maybe your lesson was you overspent on eating out this month. But now you see the trigger.It's busy evenings, no meal plan. And that drive thru felt faster than anything else. It's not failure. That's information. That's God shaping your wisdom.Mistakes don't erase that momentum. They teach you better strategy. And every month brings raw material for spiritual formation. And finally, we talked about walking.You got to walk with God and community. Lone journeys will stall, but companions strengthen the journey. Walking with God gives you peace. Walking with community gives you perseverance.That community brings you accountability. Hey, how did that habit go? This week with a community brings you perspective. You're making more progress than you think.That community brings you encouragement. Don't quit. Start fresh again today. That community gives you wisdom. Here's what worked for me in that season.Maybe you should try this and that community gives you celebration. You paid off that card. Praise God. That's beautiful.Think about the difference between budgeting alone at midnight where you're frustrated and overwhelmed, versus budgeting with a community where someone says, hey, I've been there. You're not failing. Let's figure this out together. You were never meant to walk alone, financially or spiritually.And when you walk with God and with people who cheer for your growth, the journey becomes lighter, clearer, and full of hope. Which leads me to today's Bible verse comes to us from the book of Philippians, chapter 1, verse 6.He who began a good work in you will carry it on the completion. I love that verse. Friends, you're not ending this year alone. And you won't begin the next one alone either. I'm right here with you.God is walking with you as well. Every step, every month and every season. How about we pray together? Lord, give me enduring faithfulness. Give me humility to learn month by month.Give me courage to keep walking with you. Strengthen my resolve, steady my steps and shape my heart for the journey ahead. And I ask this in Jesus name, Amen. Okay, here's your one action step.I want you to write down one resolution. Okay, Ralph's going to use the word resolution, but be careful how I say it. I want you to write down one resolution of the soul.Ask yourself this question. How will I trust God in my finances this year? Just that simple. How will I trust God in my finances this year?Then I want you to pick one monthly money hour and lock it in. I'm talking about the same day every month. No exceptions. Because we build these rhythms. We don't just organize our life, we create results.And this is exactly why community matters. After sharing this action step with some people last year, I want you to hear what one member told me. They said this.I came here thinking I get tips or tools. But what I found, Ralph, was a lifeline. The habits keep me steady. The encouragement lifts me on days that I can't lift myself. And it's free.A real community with zero pressure. My hope is growing again, Ralph. My faith is growing again. And I'm not walking alone anymore, friend. That's the power of walking together.And I want you to come join us on your walk. Go to financiallyconfidentchristian.com/join. That's financiallyconfidentchristian.com/Join. Friend. Don't chase a moment. Commit to the mission.You see that mission ahead of you. Build rhythms. Stop building pressure. Walk slowly. Walk faithfully and walk joyfully. Because what did God promise?He says God always finishes what he starts. And what he started in you, he will finish. So let's all go today and be a financially confident Christian.You can do this because guess who's walking with you? The Lord is walking with you. Stay financially savvy. Happy New Year. And guess what? I'll see you next year. Take care.