God doesn’t want us to worry, especially when it comes to our finances. Money is useful for our needs, but God even encourages us to use it to develop all our relationships.
When we talk about finances and single life, we tend to speak first about our finances and our debts. If we want to get married, it is important to get rid of our debts before meeting a partner. To offer $ 20,000 in debts as a wedding present to our spouse is rather embarrassing! Therefore it is one of our priorities while single as well as adding good management over our budget. We know that the number one cause of arguments in a couple is financial management. If we already learn to manage our income and expenses well, we will be better prepared to balance a family budget. Having a healthy relationship with our finances will help us build a secure relationship with our future partner.
We should choose to get married to serve each other. Marriage is a life of self-sacrifice for the good of the other. It is therefore not healthy to get married to fill a need. Be it an emotional, sexual, or even a financial need. If we need two salaries to pay for our expenses, there is a problem! God asks us to be a good manager of what we have (Matthew 5:21), and it is He who can then give us more (not a partner).
If we are unable to meet our minimum needs, it is because we are in poverty and it is certainly not a position that God desires for His children. We may experience times of scarcity (Philippians 4:12), but God has promised to meet our needs (Philippians 4:19). Poverty is when we cannot meet basic needs; it’s not about being unable to afford a car! If this continues, talk to God about it. He will break your yoke and give you ideas for getting out of it. Because poverty does not help build relationships. You don’t have to be rich to have friends and a future partner, but always being in need doesn’t attract others. God knows this and that’s why He takes care of His children’s finances. We must consult Him, follow God’s advice, and trust Him.
To demonstrate our trust in His provision, we can invest what we have into His Kingdom. Jesus praised the trust of the widow who gave two pennies as an offering (Luke 21:1-4), and in the Old Testament, the story of the women of Sarepta, who agreed to give her last meal to the prophet Elijah, teaches us the same lesson (1 Kings 17). But for our offering to be a mark of our trust, we must give it with joy (2 Corinthians 9:7). If we give our tithes and offerings under duress, because we feel compelled to do so, there will be no joy in our gesture. So do not give in to the manipulation of certain people either, who sometimes make promises that seem very spiritual, but are not inspired by God. Always listen to the Holy Spirit and answer His call, not the convincing arguments of “great speakers”. This is an important asset to develop during singleness and will be very useful once married. Your spiritual discernment, even in financial management, is another good way to build strong relationships.
Money can help us to develop friendships, foster our future relationships by showing our wisdom and prove our confidence in God in our relationship with Him. When we use our money to build such relationships, God does not hesitate to give us beyond what we need to live so that we can be a source of blessing for others (2 Corinthians 9:8). Generosity is also another attractive asset for a future partner. Our financial generosity is another way to develop relationships with our community (Hebrews 13:16). Finally, the way we spend our money can even help us in our professional relationships, according to the parable given by Jesus in Luke 16. See, money is a great tool to develop all kinds of relationships: use it wisely!