This financial topic was given to me while Pastor Andrew Jackson, Jr. from West Irving Church of God in Christ was preaching. He mentioned that Christians’ spiritual walk should not be a roller coaster. We should not be happy one moment then sad the next minute. Despite going through trials, we should remain strong, determined, and committed to being an example for others to follow. The same principle can be stated from a financial standpoint.
Financially speaking, we all should have a solid budget and money set aside for an emergency. By living within our means and not trying to impress others, we can live a comfortable lifestyle and be content where God has us. If something unexpectedly happens, we will be in a position to confront the challenge and not worry about how to deal with it.
Many people love the thrill of roller coasters and enjoy conquering the largest and fastest rides available at amusement parks. The suspense of the roller coaster inching slowly towards the first drop excites people and terrifies them at the same time. When the coaster drops, it builds up speed and zooms left, right, up, down, upside down, and twists and turns as the engineers designed. At the end of the ride, the coaster stops and lets its participants off. People smile and discuss their experience while they move on to the next ride. While the roller coaster ride is highly desired for thrill seekers, finances should not exhibit roller coaster qualities.
An example of roller coaster finances is when a person receives income but forgets to pay a bill. They are happy about their pay, but the happiness quickly vanishes when the forgotten bill arrives. While life is often filled with many ups and downs, we should strive to have our finances steadily climb the track instead of being turned upside down, inside out, and twisting until nothing else is left. Pastor Jackson often states that people can’t even find the ends, so they definitely can’t make the ends meet! This is a problem many face but can be corrected by consistently keeping finances off the roller coaster track.
The best way to get your finances off the roller coaster is to create and live by a budget. You must track your spending on a monthly and yearly basis, and your overall debt should be a key component as well. By monitoring where you are today, it will be motivation to get you to a better place tomorrow. Stay encouraged and be disciplined…your financial roller coaster will come to an end!