Money & Marriage: Talking Tips to Strengthen Your Marriage

For 21 years of my marriage, my wife and I disagreed about money. I was content pursuing all the riches this world offered … and not involving God in any of my financial decisions. She wasn’t.

The turning point came when she lovingly convinced me to join a Crown Bible study. Talking about my marriage and finances in a group sounded like just about the worst thing I could think of, but I went. And God started to change my heart.

Here are seven keys to handling money that God has taught us through our 38 years of marriage.

1. Be a Peacemaker
Be the first to confess and the first to say, “I’m sorry!” Pray for peace in your marriage, and actively choose to be the peacemaker. If one of you is a peacemaker, your marriage will survive. If both of you commit to becoming peacemakers, then your marriage will thrive!

2. Understand Prosperity
God’s plan for our prosperity includes marriage. Of course, God can bless those who don’t marry. But you and I should see our spouse and families as a key part of living a prosperous life. Read God’s plan for prosperity in Jeremiah 29:4-11.

3. Know and Fulfill Your Purpose
God has a very specific purpose for your life and marriage. Regardless of your occupation, income, or social standing, God has called you and your spouse to give your utmost for His highest glory.

4. Live by God’s Philosophy of Money
Both you and your spouse have a philosophy about money, formed through your life experiences, preferences, thoughts, and personalities. Your personal philosophy is bound to be different from your spouse’s and can cause frustration and disunity. But God’s transformational power provides an advantage for two to become one. Develop a Biblical philosophy of money with your spouse!

5. Love and Understand Their Personality
Remember that you and your spouse are on the same team. Use your teammate’s strengths to help you win. Don’t try and change your spouse to think and feel the same way you do. Use each other’s strengths and differences to attack your financial challenges together.

6. Create a Unified Plan
Your plan won’t just help your finances. It will help you to fulfill the purpose God has for your life and marriage, will be aligned with Scripture, and will lead you to achieve your financial goals. The key points of your plan should include:

⇒ Create a budget. Crown Financial has a free, easy guide and many related resources that will help you.
⇒ Use the strengths God has given you individually, so your plan will keep moving forward even when a setback occurs. Consider your plan as having an offense (earning income) and a defense (keeping a budget, paying bills).
⇒ Know your credit score. A free report is available at www.annualcreditreport.com. Some credit cards update your FICO score for free each month.
⇒ Calculate your net worth (assets minus liabilities). Aim for a positive number!

7. Get Wisdom!
Most importantly, read God’s Word. You will gain wisdom, discernment, and hope that is more advantageous than anything the world offers.

God has called us to himself that we might shine light into the darkness and bring Him glory. At Crown, we provide resources that will renew your hope through Biblical truths about the Father and the gifts He has entrusted to you.