Have you ever seen a commercial or other advertisement for a debt consolidation company? Invariably, these companies offer prospective customers a thorough evaluation of their current debts with the ultimate goal of helping them to become debt-free. Take a moment to linger on that last word: “free.” When people find themselves in debt, they are robbed of the freedom to make their own spending choices. Plain and simple, they are slaves to their debt. If you doubt this statement, try missing a debt payment and see what happens.
The Bible reinforces this notion in 1 Corinthians 7:23, where Paul writes, “You have been purchased at a price. Do not become slaves of men.” The deeper in debt we are, the more like slaves we become—and the harder it is for us to make our escape. We’ve run into many people who wanted to serve God in some way, yet they were delayed or entirely distracted from their passion because of debt. Debt has sidetracked men wanting to go to the seminary, women wanting to join a religious order or even people who want to go on a mission trip. Debt is an earthly curse that can keep us from enjoying the joy and happiness of God’s plan for us. Being in debt is the exact opposite of a stewardship lifestyle.
God understands that debt is a struggle in everyone’s lives. Our Father in heaven wants his children free to serve him, rather than spending their time as the lender’s slaves. In fact, God hates debt so much that it was listed as one of the curses for disobedience: “If you do not obey the voice of the Lord, your God, carefully observing all his commandments and statutes which I give you today, all these curses shall come upon you and overwhelm you…The resident aliens among you will rise above you higher and higher, while you sink lower and lower. They will lend to you, not you to them. They will become the head, you the tail.” (Deuteronomy 28: 15, 43-44)
The Lord understands that you cannot answer his call if you have earthly debts to pay. Debt stands directly in the way of God’s mission to spread the gospel around the world—and for
that reason, he wants us to be free. This idea that God really wants us free of debt
can be a much needed spiritual lift if you are digging out from under a mountain of bills. Though debt is a powerful foe, understand that “neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor present things, nor future things, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature will be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-9) God’s love conquers all things—even the shackles of debt.
To learn more about God’s way of managing money, contact Compass Catholic at (844) 447-6263 or email us at info@compasscatholic.org.
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