A Christian View of Financial Planning
The financial planning process consists of the same steps whether the recipient is a Christian or non-Christian. But for the Christian there is the spiritual dimension that everything should filter through. Most of the scriptures that refer to finances are principles, not laws, and often illustrate wisdom versus foolishness. For example, Proverbs 6:6-8 says, "Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which, having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest." This clearly indicates planning ahead is a wise thing to do. But at what point does an emphasis on planning diminish a Christian's faith in God?
Proverbs 16:9 says "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." Recognizing that we don't know what tomorrow holds should bring us to the place of trusting the Lord to direct our steps. Over the years, I've worked as a counselor with many people facing financial problems, and I've also worked as a financial planner advising many others regarding their investments and financial plans. Despite the typically very different financial situations of these two groups, there is often a surprising dichotomy. In both groups I've found there are those who have total trust in the Lord, and also those who lack the peace of God and live in fear. How ironic that those with financial abundance can lack the peace found in the person who owns little, yet whose confidence is in the Lord!
Matthew 6:19-21 warns us "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." The Lord desires for His children to have an eternal perspective. This earth we call home is not our home. In planning with Christians, those that have this understanding stand out. They know that they are aliens here and that their true home is in heaven with the Lord. We are called to do His work while we are here.
Recently a client of our firm informed us that he was diagnosed with cancer and told there were no treatments available to help him. As a result, the doctors expected he had just a short time left to live. We had just completed a financial plan for him and his wife two months earlier. What a tremendous testimony to all of us to hear him say that he was completing things presented in his plan in preparation of going home, to heaven.
We are all guaranteed to die eventually. Living with this truth in mind can change our whole perspective, and is what prompted the Psalmist to pray "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom" (Psalm 90:12). As Christians, we need to fully grasp the fact that we are incapable of protecting ourselves and our families against all the challenges of life. We can—and should—be good stewards of what the Lord has given us by making provisions for ourselves and our families. But only the Lord can protect. We can trust Him to provide for us and our loved ones because He's promised to fulfill His part of the stewardship bargain as we fulfill ours.
HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?
This is the big question that each of us should answer. Our culture's answer is that just a little bit more will be enough. But Paul gives us the correct answer in Philippians 4:11-13: "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to live humbly, and I know how to live in prosperity. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
Being content is a rare quality in our modern times. It can be hard to relate to Paul when he says that he knows how to live humbly as well as how to live in prosperity; that he has learned how to be both full and hungry. This is a man who knows where his strength comes from. I have counseled multi-millionaires who grasp these truths, and I have also counseled "poor" people who had just as solid an understanding. You see, it's not the money nor possessions, it's the heart and attitude.
When a Christian determines how much is enough for them, it frees all that is left to be given to the Lord's work. It also allows their God-given abilities to generate additional assets to be focused outward rather than inward. The Bible warns us repeatedly that prosperity is a stealthy and dangerous competitor for our affections. Determining our "finish line" in advance by answering how much is enough can help protect us from having our focus gradually drawn away from the Lord as wealth increases. 
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