Let me assure you that God is concerned about every area of our lives, including our finances. In fact, you’d probably be surprised how often the Bible talks about money, and our responsibility to use it wisely.

I’m sure almost any financial advisor would give you the same advice I would: Put down your income and your expenses on a sheet of paper, then prepare a balanced budget you can live with. That will probably mean cutting out some expenses you wish you could keep, but you’ll never overcome your debts until you do. Develop a realistic budget, then stick to it, regardless of the inconvenience.

The real question you must face, however, is this: What place does money have in your lives? Is it more important to you than God? I know that’s a blunt question, but most of us have become too concerned with material things, and we could live far simpler than we actually do. Jesus warned, “You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13).

This is why the most important thing you can do is put Christ at the center of your lives, including your finances. God has blessed you in many ways; almost every day I get a letter from someone who’s without a job or struggling far more than you are. Thank God for all He has given you, then ask Him to help you not only live within your income, but also to use your money wisely and for His glory.