Why Do Small Budget Wins Matter More Than You Think?

Speaker A00:00:00

Hey, when's the last time you actually gave yourself credit for progress with your money? I'm not talking about a perfect month, some giant breakthrough, just a small win.Some great examples, like you walked out of the grocery store and stayed under budget. Hey, even it was just 10 bucks. Or you open your bank app and didn't immediately close it in fear. Or you paused before you clicked Buy Now.And if your instinct is to say, yeah, but that's not that big, friend, that tells me everything. Because people trapped in financial shame don't understand how to celebrate progress. They just move that finish line and call themselves a failure.But today we're going to talk about why small wins that are more than you realize. Hey, friend. Ralph Estep Jr. Here.Welcome to Financially Confident Christian, where we learn how to walk through life and money with wisdom, with peace, and with a heart anchored in God's truth. The mission is simple.To help you break that cycle of financial shame, build those steady habits rooted in faith, and truly become the kind of believer who handles money with clarity, with confidence, and with spiritual purpose. Yesterday we talked about those budget traps, those quiet things that trip people up even when they're trying hard.But today we're going to shift the focus not to what's wrong, but to what's working. Because progress doesn't grow in constant criticism. It grows in encouragement. A listener shared this with me.Ralph, I'm doing better with my budget, but I still feel behind. It never feels like enough to celebrate. Shouldn't I wait until I'm really winning?And friend, let me tell you right now, that question is more common than you think. I hear it all the time. Because underneath that question is this question, Ralph, I don't want to celebrate too early.I don't want to give up my hopes up. I failed before, so I stay cautious. And trust me, I get that. But that's not laziness.That's a person who's been disappointed before and doesn't want to get hurt again. You put up these barriers, but here's the truth. Ignoring that process doesn't protect you. It actually drains you.And it slowly steals your motivation until that budget feels like punishment instead of wisdom. So let me say this plainly. What you celebrate, you repeat, and what you refuse to notice, you're going to eventually stop doing.Small wins aren't these cutesy things. They're proof that change is already happening. They're evidence that God is building something steady in you.And over the years, I've watched people transform their finances, not through these overnight miracles. But through steady, encouraged progress.And let me tell you something right now, the people who grow the most, they're the ones who learn to notice what God has already been doing. Even in those small steps. It reminds me of a gentleman I've worked with. He was frustrated because he hadn't paid off much of his debt yet.And he said to me, ralph, he says, I'm not getting anywhere. But we slowed it down and we looked a little closer, and this is what we found. We found he had stopped using credit cards. That's a win.He checked his spending every week. It's a win. And he stayed within his grocery budget three weeks in a row. Another big win. And when I pointed that out to him, he paused and he smiled.He said, I guess I am changing, Ralph. I see. Friend, that moment mattered because the goal isn't just less debt. The goal is a different person. So here's today's gentle question.What if your progress feels small because you've never been taught to recognize it in the first place? Let's talk about what's worth celebrating. First thing. Celebrate showing up. Sometimes the win isn't the result, it's the effort.It's that opening that bank app, like, I'm going to do this. It's looking at those numbers. It's having that conversation. It's checking your budget before you spend.Friend, if you showed up this week, that's a win. Another thing to celebrate. Celebrate one. No, you don't have to overhaul your life to make progress.Just think about one paused purchase or one avoided impulse, or just one moment of awareness. That's growth. If you said, not today. One time, that counts. And celebrate consistency, not perfection. You're never going to get perfection.God doesn't ask us for flawless performance. He honors faithfulness. Let's say you tracked it imperfectly, but you tracked it. You messed up Tuesday but came back on Wednesday. Guess what?That's maturity. That's a habit forming. And so celebrate that direction, not the finish lines. Budgets aren't about arrivals. People get stuck on that.They're about moving in a direction. And if you're moving towards clarity, if you're moving towards peace, if you're moving towards wisdom, guess what?You're already winning, even if it's slow. Here are five wins that count every single time. I checked my balances, that's a win. I track something. That's a win.I planned one purchase, that's a win. I paused before spending. That's a win. And I stayed under. Hey, maybe it was just in One category. That's a win.If any of those happen this week, friend, you are building and you are making progress. Let's look at Philippians, chapter 4, verse 4. It says this. Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again. Rejoice not.Rejoice when everything is finished. Rejoice while God is still working, even in the progress. Lord, thank you for every step forward, even the ones we overlook.Help us notice progress without pride and celebrate growth without fear. Teach us to rejoice in what you're building one faithful step at a time. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen. Here's today's step.I want you to write down one budget win from this week. Just one. No comparison, no minimizing. Just name it and then thank God for it. And if you want to go one step further, text it to somebody you trust.Because celebration becomes stronger when it's spoken out loud. And friend, if you struggle to see progress on your own, you're not alone feeling that way inside the financially competent Christian community.People often say, I didn't realize how far I'd come until someone else helped me see it. That's a beautiful thing. It's a safe place. It's a patient place. And it's a place where small wins are honored every single day.I want to encourage you. Go to financiallyconfidentchristian.com/join. That's financiallyconfidentchristian.com/Join. You're welcome whenever you're ready.And let me remind you today, God sees your effort, that faithfulness matters. Those small steps count every step. You're not behind, you're building. Go out there today and be a financially confident Christian. You can do this.I have confidence in you. Stay financially savvy. God bless you, and I'll see you on tomorrow's show.