How Can I Reflect on My Fall Blessings and Financial Growth?

Speaker A00:00:00

Won't be long to the leaves start changing and the air is going to turn crisp. Yeah, it's in August right now, but it's not too far off and it won't be too long before we're in the middle of fall. Let me ask you this.When was the last time you actually stopped not to plan? We do a lot of talking about planning on the show. Not to plan, not to fix something. We do a lot of talking about fixing things on the show.But when's the last time you actually stopped to just soak in the blessings all around you? I just thought today that'd be a great thing to talk about because what if this season wasn't just about doing more?So easy to get involved in doing more. But what if it was about remembering what God has already done? Well, stick with me because today's going to be a special show.I want to show a simple actual reflection that you can unlock deeper faith, richer gratitude and yes, even greater financial peace. Hey listen, this might be the most important thing you do all week. That's we're going to cover on today's show.This is Financially Confident Christian, your daily dose of gospel, grounded insight and faith driven tips to help you break the cycle of financial shame with confidence. Hey there and welcome back to your daily Financially Confident Christian. I'm Ralph. I am so happy that you chose to join me today.This is the show where every day I try to answer one big question and that is how can I become financial a financially confident Christian? And we're continuing in our series. We're just about at the end of this series and that's smart money for back to school and beyond.Hey, if the kids aren't back in school yet, it's just around the corner. Now yesterday we talked about a practical financial checkup.We talked about how to organize, how to optimize and yes, how to streamline your money life.But today we're going to hit pause for a second because I want to talk about something that we rarely make time for and that's reflecting how many times we just go through the day and we haven't really taken any time to really reflect or appreciate all the blessings and the financial growth that we've already experienced and start to really think about preparing our heart for the next season and do it with gratitude. And listen, summer can be a whirlwind of all kinds of things going on.We're starting to get ramped up for school and we're going to be back into school routines. We're Going to be handling sports events and our work schedules may be a little bit flexible now. You might even be thinking ahead for the holidays.Yes, it's not too far off and in that busy blur and hey, our lives, sometimes they feel like a busy blur. You might have completely missed some quiet wins. Let's talk about some of those because I just want to really reinforce today those quiet wins.Maybe you stuck to your budget. You made that budget and you put a lot of effort into it. You're like Ralph, yes, I've stuck to it.Hey, maybe for you, you saved a little more this season, right? Now that you're in, you're saving, you're doing the things that you need to do to build that savings fund or build that emergency fund.Hey, maybe you've built some great new money habits. You're looking at your spending. You're not spending so much impulsively, you're putting in those pauses.Hey, maybe for you it's something as simple as you found a great deal. Maybe you cut out some of those subscriptions that you weren't using or you found a way to save some money.Hey, maybe you took the kids, talked about this the other day. Maybe you took the kids to the thrift shop and you bought some back to school stuff and you didn't have to pay for new full price stuff.Or hey, maybe this one, and this is a big one. Maybe you finally made peace with those past money mistakes. Talked about that on the show so many times that they just come back to haunt us.But we really need to work to make peace. And listen, those are just the financial blessings.Let's take a couple minutes and just really focus in on some non financial blessings because I think it's so easy to get caught up in the day to day and what's going on all around us. But we are truly blessed. Think about these things. Maybe a moment of laughter with your kids. I miss that now. My kids are 24.My oldest is going to be 28. In fact, by the time you hear this, he'll be 28.Remember those times when they were so young and back then I used to think about were these kids ever going to grow up? Now I just wish I could hit the pause button.Or maybe that walk this summer along the sands or maybe through the woods or just being out in the outdoors as the weather has been great. Or maybe a warm mug of coffee shared with your spouse or somebody that you really care about.Or how about this blessing, just peace in your prayer time. But if you're like me. And we got to be honest here for a minute.Oftentimes we just rush through the seasons and we don't really stop and put the brakes on and really reflect on what God has already given us. And here's the problem.If we don't do that, if we don't take the time to sit back and just reflect, we don't really appreciate what God's provision has given us or even our own progress. And unfortunately, we lose the chance to build gratitude. And gratitude.Listen, if you hear nothing else I say today, this is the most important statement I'm going to make. Gratitude is the fuel for lasting change. See, here's the thing I want you to understand today. Intentional reflection isn't just nice.Yeah, it's a great thing to do. It's something I encourage everyone to do. As you're listening right now, reflect and be grateful. But it's not just a nice thing to do.It's essential for your spiritual and your financial growth because it reminds you of this truth. Let's look at the book of Psalms, chapter 103, verse 2. It says, Praise the Lord my soul and forget not all his benefits. See, listen to me, friend.Right now, God wants us to remember. God wants us to reflect on his faithfulness. Let's look at Psalms 143, verse 5. I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.See, even in your finances. A lot of people give me a grief sometimes, like Ralph, you try to tie finances and faith together. Of course I do.Because that's what God wants us to do. Even in our finances. God is moving in our lives. It's so vital that we understand that. And don't forget this from Deuteronomy, chapter 8, verse 18.But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth. Hey, I can't take credit for that. That comes right from the Scriptures. But it's exactly what we talk about day in and day out on this show.How to become that financially confident Christ. What does it say here in Deuteronomy 8:18? But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.You didn't do this all on your own. Maybe you need to hear that again. You did not do this all on your own. I've met so many people in my career, so many people in my life.I've been doing accounting work for 30 years. So many people say, ralph, I've worked my butt off to get to this point, but here's the truth. You didn't do this all on your own.God has been your provider through every single step. Did you put in the work? Yes. Did you work hard? Yes. Did you make good decisions? Yes. But guess what? God gave you the ability to do that.So when we take the time to reflect, that is discernment. That is worship. And it's what turns numbers. It's real easy to get lost in this.But that reflection, that worship, that's what turns numbers into gratitude.So here's the question I really want to get to today, and that's how can you pause right now and reflect on the blessings and financial growth that's been going on in your life? And honestly, the answer is pretty simple. But it takes a little work. You've got to intentionally dedicate a moment to reflect.Yeah, you got to hit the pause button. You got to find a quiet time, a sacred time, and be specific. But dedicate that intentional moment to reflect.Because I'm going to tell you something right now. That small act can shift your spirit. That small act can change you from feeling busy to grateful.And it can change you from feeling anxious to actually being at peace. So your challenge today is this. Reflect on your blessings and look at your financial growth. Here's how you do it. Just schedule a time for reflection.Just 10 or 15 minutes today. Hey, do it today. Why put it off till tomorrow, but do it today or do it this week. Sit outside maybe, or light a candle or open up your journal.Just make some space to think and to pray. Turn off the phone, turn off the tv. Turn off the radio. Just you and God. Then I want you to just take a few minutes.Maybe think about two or three financial victories that you've had recently. Like we talked about earlier for you, maybe it was paying down that debtor. Maybe you made those great decisions.You avoided that intentional spending or that impulse spending. You chose to not buy impulsively. Maybe you started a new, good financial habit. Just write those things down. Review those financial wins.And then I want to encourage you to do two other things. First thing I want you to do is, what are two or three personal joys this season?As we wrap up this season and we wrap up this summertime, what are some personal joys? Maybe it involved family time. You got to spend time with your loved ones. I'm really looking forward to spending some time with my oldest son.He's going to be coming to visit us. Hey, maybe you just thank God for good health. Listen, I'm right there with you. I've been working so hard at this, but I know it's not about me.It's what God has allowed me to do.Maybe you find joy in answered prayer, or maybe for you, it's just you have peace in your heart, and then I just want you to do one more thing, and that's offer a prayer of thanks. So many times we're always asking God for what he can give us. It always seems like we're pulling from him.But a wise preacher once said this to me, says Ralph, it's not what God can give you. It's what he's already given you. Pray for that. Thank God specifically for each of those items we talked about a few minutes ago.Pray for him for his faithfulness. Praise him for that.Because when you see what he's done, when you really take a moment and pause and reflect, you're going to trust him more with what's coming. And there is great things coming for you. How about we pray together, Father?God, as we sit here and we think about reflection, we just thank you for the precious gift of every season that you give to our lives, Lord.And we just thank you for the blessings, those that we see, Lord, and the ones that are still unseen to us, those things that you kept from us intentionally, Lord, and the times that you poured, you know, into our lives this season, Lord. And we confess that we often rush ahead. We get so stuck in the busyness, we. And we just forget to stop and say, thank you, Lord.So right now, we pause. We pause right now, Lord, and we reflect and we remember your faithfulness.And I just asked that you would help us to see your hand in every one of those victories, Lord, in our finances, Lord, in our families and in our hearts. And. And I would just ask that you would strengthen our faith as we prepare for the next season of our lives.And I just pray right now that you would just really re. Unleash holiness to let gratitude take root in our lives, Lord, and let peace fill our minds.And I ask this in complete confidence in the name of Jesus Christ himself. Amen. Listen, friend, intentional reflection is a powerful thing. It deepens your gratitude.It strengthens your trust in God and prepares you for what's next. With confidence. And listen. If this message today has blessed you, I want to encourage you to share it with somebody.Send them a text, send them an email, tell them about the blessing you're getting. You can send them right to our website. That's at financiallyconfidentchristian.com this can be a blessing for them. As well just as it's been to you.Now tomorrow I want to encourage you not to miss the show because we're going to be talking about a game changing mindset for the holidays and beyond tomorrow. I'm going to follow up with today's comments.I'm going to tell you how to find true contentment in a world that pressures you to spend in a world that pressured you to upgrade and a world that presses you to compare. It's going to be a big show tomorrow so I just want to encourage you come back and join me again tomorrow. Give me a little bit more time tomorrow. I'm sure you'll find it valuable and I just want to remind you of this. You can do this. I have confidence in you, have confidence in yourself.Let's all go out there today and live those lives of being financially confident Christians. Stay financially savvy, God bless you and you have a great day.