Finances With A Purpose
When we think about purpose we think about the reason for our specific gifts and talents. We think about our God given assignment. We think about why we were created. Purpose is one of the most powerful things on earth. Purpose directs your path, purpose determines your decisions and ultimately purpose reveals your future.
Your money should have a purpose. Just as purpose is important to our lives, it is also important to our finances. As quoted by Myles Munroe, "The greatest tragedy in life is not death, but a life without purpose". I believe the same can also be applied to finances. The greatest tragedy in finances is not being broke, but to have money without a purpose. Money without a purpose tends to do one of 2 things. It will either be wasted on something unnecessary or wasted on something that is destructive. We must give our money a purpose so that is can show true fruit in our lives.
People who are successful financially are people who give their finances a purpose. This is sometimes a conscious or unconscious decision. Here are two scenarios of people who gave their finances a purpose:
Scenario 1) A 12th grade high school kid who decides he wants to own a triplex by the age of 21. He starts working at 18 making $250 a week. Because he’s young and living at home with his parents, he is not obligated to pay utility bills or buy groceries. But he still gives his parent $25 a week anyway towards bills. He decides he wont buy a car like his peers our buy expensive clothes. He lives frugal off $50 a week while saving $175 a week. After just 3 years of saving $175 a week he has managed to save $27,300! He now has enough for a down payment on a triplex which after owning, the tenant's rent will pay his mortgage as well as the utility bills for his unit.
Scenario 2) A single mother who is raising 2 children while making $400 a week is realizing that as taxes and store prices increase, her salary remains the same year after year. She determines that she needs to do something to break this cycle of paycheck to paycheck living. She decides she wants to go after her dream of owning her own business. She makes the decision to live frugal for a year and a half. This allows her to save $80 a week. After saving for one and a half years she has $6,240. This allows her to buy a used office printer and start her at home Printing business. The advantage she has is that she’s cheaper than a print shop, and she will hand deliver your order to you.
Those two examples were people who gave their money a purpose. Living in Purpose requires:
1) Sacrifice,
2) Patience and
3) A leap of faith
Anyone can turn their situation into a success story. But you must be willing to sacrifice wants for things you really need, have patience in your process and don’t abandon your dream. Finally take the leap of faith that all successful people eventually take.
If you are going to handle your finances correctly it must have a purpose. Figure out what that purpose is and focus on achieving it until it manifests. Your future is depending on it.