I’m Just a Guy: Wrestling With MoneySample

Redefining Rich

When I hear the word rich, a few things come to mind.

First—sadly—I think of Scrooge McDuck diving into his sea of gold. As a kid, that seemed like the dream. Then, as I got older, my vision of “rich” shifted to some of my sports heroes—guys like Greg Maddux, Michael Jordan, and Peyton Manning—men who appeared to live lives without limits.

But then I’d look in the mirror—or worse, at my bank account—and feel a wave of inadequacy. My understanding of “rich” had been shaped by status, money, and material abundance, not by truth. I could only see what I lacked, not what God had already provided.

Somewhere along the line, I started tying my self-worth to the number of zeros on a screen, instead of remembering who God created me to be. Even as I write this, my wife just helped me snap out of another spiral of comparison and condemnation. Old lies die hard.

This weekend, I’m taking a few of our kids camping. It’s our first trip without a truck, and logistically, it’s a little clunky. But I took that minor inconvenience and spun it into a full-blown pity party. The spiral of “not enough” hit so fast it even surprised me.

But the truth? My kids don’t care what we drive. They care that I’m there. They care about the firewood, the s’mores, the adventure—not the horsepower. Our humble minivan will do just fine.

That’s where I often get tripped up—confusing wants with needs. But when I step back and actually reflect on how God has moved in my life, I see it clearly: He’s always provided exactly what we need. Every single time.

When I think about specific instances where He provided, it wasn’t a breakthrough deal, a big raise, or some unexpected windfall. It was something much simpler—clarity. Usually, a reminder that I am not defined by the world’s metrics. He gave me enough strength to show up, enough grace to silence the lies, and enough love from my family to keep me grounded. That’s more than enough. That’s true provision.

And maybe that’s the heart of it.
Maybe being rich has nothing to do with money, and everything to do with alignment—a heart aligned to the Father.

When I let God reshape my view of richness, I start to see the true wealth I have:

• Getting lost in my wife’s eyes
• Hearing one of my kids call me “Daddy”
• Sitting beside a still pond and breathing deeply

With every birthday, I’m more convinced:
Peace of mind doesn’t live in a bank account. It lives in the presence of God.

So if you’re a guy wrestling with money, I hope these reflections have encouraged you—even just a little. The traps of this world are real, but my prayer is that you’ll begin recognizing them and step into the freedom of stewarding your finances the way God desires. I’m cheering you on every step of the way.

Reflection Questions:

1. What lies have shaped your view of being financially “rich”?
2. Where has God already provided what you truly need?

Thank You!

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