I’ve met a lot of Christians over the years. My husband’s a Chi Alpha Campus Missionary, so we travel around to different churches, speaking and praying and helping Christians and pre-Christians wherever we go.
I’ve also been weirdly interested in money and everyone’s relationship with money for decades. Yeah, I’m really fun at parties. Haha.
Anyway, I’ve noticed that many Christians don't think about saving money for retirement because they believe that they will be provided for in their old age... either by God or by their relatives.
"God always provides," is a common refrain I've heard.
While this is definitely true, have you considered that maybe God's providing for your future right now?
God talks a lot about money and wisdom in the Bible. He's concerned about our relationship with money, because it changes where our focus is.
God wants us to see money as a tool and focus on our relationship with God.
Scripture is clear that we are to plan for the future and to be good stewards of the resources that God has given us. But don't take my word for it. Let's take a look (in context).
Proverbs 6:6-8 says, "Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest." This verse clearly tells us that we need to be proactive in our planning and not just wait for things to happen or wait for people to push us into action. We should think about the future and use the resources God gives us now to provide for our needs later.
Proverbs 21:20 says, "The wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets." This verse is a reminder that wise people (and God LOVES wisdom) save for the future.
Another biblical principle that applies to retirement savings is the idea of delayed gratification. In Matthew 6:19-21, Jesus tells us not to store up treasures on earth, but instead to focus on storing up treasures in heaven. This doesn't mean that we shouldn't save for retirement; rather, it means that our ultimate focus should be on serving God and not on amassing wealth.
If you want to read more about God's Biblical Money Principles for Christians (with a list of verses that I reference often), feel free to download my PDF below.
With this in mind, let's take a look at some practical ways you can start saving for retirement, even if you don't feel like you have a lot of money to set aside.
Start Small
One of the biggest obstacles to saving for retirement is feeling like you need to save a huge chunk of money all at once. But this doesn't have to be the case!
If you start small, you can gradually increase your savings over time. For example, if you're currently not saving anything for retirement, commit to setting aside $50 per month. If $50 is too much right now, start with $25 or even $10 per month. The important thing is to get started!
Pay Yourself First
Another helpful tip is to pay yourself first. This means setting aside money for your retirement savings before you pay your other bills. This can be difficult if you're living paycheck-to-paycheck, but there are ways to make it work.
One option is to set up automatic transfers from your checking account to your savings account or retirement account each month. That way, you won't have to think about it – the money will just automatically be transferred from one account to another.
Another option is to make paying yourself first a priority when you get your paycheck – as soon as you receive your paycheck, transfer an amount (no matter how small) into your savings account before paying any of your other bills.
I have many other resources available to you at saverstreet.com, including a FREE course about budgeting. Budgeting is the #1 most effective way to start saving money.
Saving for retirement can be a challenge, but it's important to remember that God has a plan for our lives – including our finances. The Bible has a lot to say about financial planning and saving for the future, and there are many practical ways we can start saving for retirement even if we don't feel like we have a lot of money to set aside.
If you're not sure where to start, consider booking a FREE coaching session with me. God's put me on this earth to help Christians earn more and save more, so they can be focused on their relationship with God and bring others to Christ.
Don't be stressed about money. Let's work through that stress together, so you can rest in God's goodness without the background stress of uncertainty about money.