A Prayerful Approach to Financial Decisions with Sharon Epps

“If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and He will give it to you.” That promise from James 1:5 is a powerful reminder that wisdom is not something we have to manufacture on our own. It is a gift from God, and He invites us to ask for it. When we think about financial decisions, we often turn first to budgets, spreadsheets, calculators, or professional advice. Those tools can be helpful, and wise counsel has an important place in biblical stewardship. But for followers of Christ, wisdom begins with prayer. Sharon Epps, President of Kingdom Advisors, FaithFi’s parent organization, joined the show today to talk about inviting God into our financial lives and seeking His guidance with trust and humility. Prayer Reminds Us Whose Money It Is When people think about managing money, prayer may not be the first thing that comes to mind. But Sharon says it should be central to the way believers make financial decisions because we are not ultimately managing our own resources. We are managing God’s. She offered a simple illustration: imagine being asked to care for someone else’s home while they were away on an extended trip. Would you let them leave without asking for specific instructions about how they wanted things handled? Of course not. In the same way, because everything we have belongs to God, we should want His instruction for how to steward it. Prayer reminds us that we do not have to carry financial decisions alone or rely only on our own understanding. It helps us approach money with dependence, trust, and humility. Prayer also shifts our posture. Instead of trying to control every outcome, we begin to ask what faithfulness looks like with what God has entrusted to us. The Most Powerful Question We Can Ask So what does this look like in everyday life? Sharon says it starts by bringing financial decisions to the Lord before we act. Whether we are deciding how to spend, save, give, invest, or pursue work, prayer gives us the opportunity to seek God’s wisdom first. Our friend and mentor Ron Blue has often said that one of the most powerful questions we can ask is: God, what would You have me do with Your money? That question changes everything. It reminds us that money is not merely a tool for personal comfort or security. It is a resource entrusted to us by God for His purposes. Sharon shared a personal example from when she and her husband were praying about their oldest daughter’s college tuition. They had not saved enough to pay for her education in full, and they were committed to avoiding debt. As they prayed, God brought something to mind: He had already provided what they needed, but they had mentally set those funds aside for another purpose. Once Sharon and her husband sat down and talked it through, they realized God had shown them an option they had never considered. Prayer did not simply give them peace; it gave them perspective. That is one of the gifts of prayer. Over time, it shapes our desires, priorities, and motives. It trains us to seek God first rather than simply react in the moment. Learning What Is Enough One of the great financial questions every believer must wrestle with is, “How much is enough?” Our culture constantly pushes us to want more. More income. More comfort. More security. More possessions. But Scripture points us toward contentment. Paul writes in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.” That word learned is important. Contentment does not come naturally. It is formed in us as we walk with Christ and learn to trust Him more deeply. Prayer helps us bring our desires honestly before the Lord. It gives us space to ask whether our financial choices are being driven by needs, wants, fear, comparison, or trust. Sharon pointed to David’s prayer in Psalm 139:23-24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” That is a fitting prayer for our financial lives as well. We can ask the Lord to search our hearts, reveal our motives, and lead us toward a healthier understanding of what enough really is. And when we become more content with God’s provision, we are often freed to become more generous. When the Next Step Is Unclear Many people face financial decisions that feel overwhelming. A career change. A major purchase. A giving decision. A medical bill. A retirement question. A move. A season of uncertainty. When the path is not clear, Sharon’s counsel is simple: turn to prayer before you turn to spreadsheets. That does not mean spreadsheets are unimportant. It means they should not be our first refuge. Before we run the numbers, we should ask God for wisdom. We should also seek wise counsel from trusted believers who share our commitment to biblical stewardship. God often guides us through His Word, His Spirit, and His people. And even when the way forward is not perfectly clear, we can trust that God is faithful to guide His people as they seek Him. Financial Decisions as Acts of Trust Prayer turns financial decisions into opportunities to trust God more deeply. It reminds us that God owns it all. It invites Him into the details of our daily lives. It exposes our motives and reshapes our desires. It helps us move from fear to faithfulness, from control to stewardship, and from self-reliance to dependence on the Lord. The next time you face a financial decision, begin with this simple prayer: God, what would You have me do with Your money? And then listen with humility, seek wise counsel, and trust that your generous God delights to give wisdom to those who ask. By the way, finding an advisor who shares your faith and values does not have to be difficult. Visit FindaCKA.com, answer a few questions about what you’re looking for, and you’ll receive a list of Certified Kingdom Advisors® in your area who can help you take the next step on your stewardship journey. On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions: We sold our old house after buying a new one, so we now have a lump sum in savings. We planned to use most of it to recast the new mortgage and lower our payment, but we’re wondering whether we should keep some in savings or invest part of it. How can we steward this money wisely? My 23-year-old granddaughter struggles to manage money. Can you recommend a budgeting plan, tool, or app that could help her? I’m 70 and have heard you talk about Qualified Charitable Distributions. What exactly is a QCD, and can I use it for my tithes? My husband and I are nearing 65. In retirement, we expect $5,000–$6,000 a month in income, a paid-off home, about $80,000 in emergency cash, and another $100,000–$200,000 to invest, plus around $50,000 already in Nasdaq and S&P 500 stocks. What conservative investment options should we consider so we can draw from that money monthly if needed, especially from a Christian perspective? Resources Mentioned: Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner) Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA) FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.