Debt-Free by 31: 3 Biblical Keys That Made It Happenಮಾದರಿ

DAY 1: Rejecting Financial "Common Wisdom"

I know it feels nearly impossible to even buy a house these days, let alone dream about paying it off early.

But even if you barely scraped together enough for that down payment, I don't want you to fall for the lie that most people believe...

"You'll always have a mortgage payment."

Somehow, this has become an unbreakable law of the universe, right up there with gravity, that only the wealthiest can escape. But God calls His people to think differently than the world around them.

When Linda and I bought our home, we had a radical idea: what if we could pay off our 30-year mortgage in just a few years? Everyone told us it was impossible for a middle-class couple like us. But we chose to renew our minds according to God's wisdom rather than the world's.

We made our first unconventional choice by ignoring the bank's "helpful" advice.

When they told us how much house we could afford, we realized they were telling us what was most profitable for THEM, not what was best for OUR financial future.

So while we qualified for a house twice as expensive, we found a perfectly good 3-bed, 2-bath in a nice neighborhood that met our needs. Was it our "dream house"? No. But we decided we could wait on that.

This choice required humility. It meant saying no to status and appearances. But Proverbs reminds us that "the borrower is slave to the lender." We wanted freedom more than we wanted to impress others.

Today's Challenge: Where might your financial thinking be conforming to the world's pattern instead of God's? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal one area where you could make a counter-cultural financial choice that honors Him.

Remember, extraordinary financial freedom often begins with one simple act of courage - deciding that you won't follow the same path everyone else is taking. God hasn't called you to financial mediocrity. He's invited you into abundant life, which includes freedom from financial burdens that weigh you down.

Let's pray: Father, renew my mind when it comes to how I think about money. Help me to see where I've been conforming to the world's patterns without even realizing it. Give me the courage to make different choices, even when they seem unusual to others. I want the freedom You desire for me.

In Jesus' name, Amen.