Want to prosper? Follow these three steps

One of the most important financial fitness laws is ‘the law of contentment’. As long as your yearning exceeds your earnings, you will be in trouble financially. A contented heart which is at peace will give one good health. “A sound heart is a life to the body. But envy is rottenness to the bones” (Proverbs 14:30).

Be content with what you have rather than desiring what you do not have. “Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of desire. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind” (Ecclesiastes 6:9). Those who love money will never have enough!

The Bible says that when you are not content with what you have, you will: be unhappy; weary and tired; incur more expenses to ‘keep up with the Joneses’; anxious, worried and sleepless; have conflicts in your family; and be more dissatisfied in life (Proverbs 15:27; 23:4; Ecclesiastes 5:10-12).

You can take these steps to be content: Stop comparing yourself with others because each one of us is unique. “For we do not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves because they are not wise” (2nd Corinthians 10:12). Learn to admire without having the uncontrolled desire to acquire and celebrate the success of others. One of the commandments is, ‘Do not covet other people’s things’.

Choose to enjoy and be happy with what you have. Happiness is a choice! Many people are acquiring many things that they do not even need. God created us to enjoy life through the gift of the wealth he gives us. “To every man that God has given riches and wealth; he gives him the power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labour - this is the gift of God” (Ecclesiastes 5:19).

Remember that life is not about things but loving people. Your self-worth is not your net worth! “Two things I request of you: Remove falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny you by asking, who is the Lord? Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God” (Proverbs 30:7-9).

Focus on things that are of value and permanent. The Word of God, which will never pass away; and people (relationships) that will live forever in eternity. “Heaven and earth will pass away but my words will by no means pass away” (Matthew 24:35). “We do not look at the things which are seen but at things that are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary but things which are not seen are eternal.” (2nd Corinthians 4:18).

In life things do not just happen, they are caused to happen. God loves to perform financial miracles in your life but you need to inculcate certain habits that invite him to do so. First, acknowledge and underscore that God is your source of security. God is the source of your supply. “And you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who gives you the power to get wealth; that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:18). Christianity means that what is mine is God’s and I am willing to share it with others.

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Second, God blesses money that is honestly acquired. God does not bless people who acquire wealth using deceptive means. “He who is greedy for gain brings grief to his own house, but he who hates bribes will live” (Proverbs 15:27). “Wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished but he who gathers by labour will increase” (Proverbs 13:11).

Third, honor God first by tithing. “And you shall eat before the Lord your God in the place where he chooses to make his name abide; the tithe of your grain, new wine, oil, the firstborn of your herds and flocks; that you may learn to fear the Lord your God always” (Deuteronomy 14:23). Honor the Lord with your possessions and with the first fruits of all your increase” (Proverbs 3:9).

You give to God because giving speaks of your past, present and future and not because he is poor. “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse that there may be food in my house.

Try me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of heaven; and pour out for you such blessing that there will be no room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). The storehouse is where you go to be taught and fed the Word of God (your physical Church). One is to give ten per cent of their wealth increase.