INTRO

Imagine for a moment an indescribable peace. A peace so strong and deep that no words are satisfactory to describe it. This is what Jesus offers as you battle financial anxiety.

Let’s be honest, as humans, we want life to make sense, to be predictable, and to play out as we envision. When life takes its unexpected turns or derails our plans, fear makes its move. Our minds wander to ideas and questions that often do not solve issues, but rather simply dream up worst-case scenarios that feed back into the cycle of anxiety. This can be true with our financial health, especially if we cannot somehow get back on track to relieve our worries. Often, this is when we cry for God’s hand to intervene as a last resort.

There is a reason why you downloaded this devotion. Perhaps a job was lost, a business isn’t going well, there’s difficult medical news, or an unforeseen life-altering event has happened. Regardless of the cause, this devotional is written with the intent to lead your heart and mind in the truths of Scripture, which in effect will equip you to combat and claim victory over your financial anxiety. May the Spirit of the Lord comfort, speak, and guide you in this journey.

DAY 1: BREAK THE NETS

Luke 5:4-6: “4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’ 5 Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ 6 When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break;” (NIV)

The disciple we see in Luke’s passage, Simon, was a master fisherman. He knew the specific techniques and conditions to look for when catching fish, and yet on this day he came up empty. “We’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything.” Have you felt this with your finances? Although you have worked so hard and have tried everything to improve your financial health, you still come up empty.

Yet Simon reacted, “But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” He surrendered his expertise, ego, plans, and strategies to Jesus. It was in this moment, when he trusted Jesus to fill the nets, that the miracle happened – “…that their nets began to break.” Wow! There is something about the complete surrender to God that enables us to see and experience what only God can do. The fish that came that day was not only a large quantity, but it was also a quantity that their resources literally could not hold.

While there are many messages in this one passage, what you cannot miss is that God is the ultimate provider. He is not subject to circumstances; He moves circumstances. He is not subject to our ideas or perceptions, for He is all-knowing. And He is not subject to the natural, for He is supernatural. Simon did not expect to catch any fish, and he certainly didn’t expect his nets to break because of an overflow of fish. It was in relinquishing to Jesus’ power that he experienced His provision.

Much like Simon, we encourage you to do the same, that is, to “let down the nets.” This act of surrender, – when one has done everything they know and yields to the work that only God can do – may be very hard, but it is very powerful.

This devotion may not get you a new job, pay off your debts, or fix any difficult news, but through the power of Scripture, it will help you navigate your situation. It will equip you to yield to His Word so that God can do in your life what only He can do. Please take a moment to pray the following:

Dear Lord, I come before You, my nets emptied. I surrender completely to how You choose to move amid my financial anxiety. I trust Your Word. I am guided by Your Spirit, and as I surrender, I await the works of Your hand. Amen.