Anxiety About Money

There are psychological researches demonstrate that it can reduce people’s negative emotions and physical pain by possessing more money, and therefore it is reasonable that most of the people are in pursuit of money at least at some periods of their lives.

However, are we overly anxious about money while chasing after it? And are we worrying too much about things that may not happen? We can be worrying that our salary is not enough, saving is insufficient, asset value may fall, or even worrying about unemployment or business failure?

Having anxiety is common and can be a driver for hard work in the short term, but in the long run it distracts our focus and consumes our energy, and it affects our performance or even leads to tension in social interaction and physical and mental fatigue.

As a matter of fact, Lisa Feldman Barrett, a famous professor of clinical psychology, pointed out that our emotions are merely from our thoughts. Therefore, we all have the ability to control our thoughts and emotions!

As Christians, how do we control our thoughts and overcome anxiety about money?

God knows our needs. He teaches us to work hard and promises inheritance from the Lord: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” (Colossians 3:23-24)

We must work hard to earn money and learn to manage money. However, we can do so without overwhelming anxiety. As Jesus once said: “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” — Matthew 6:26