What is Your Financial Plan for The Year?

In recent times, we witnessed an economic upheaval that has left many lives in so much difficulty. This is a global occurrence and it is also happening in Nigeria too. Last January, we saw the removal of subsidy and the hike in the costs of living.

In the aftermath of these incidents, many people’s source of income has been badly affected. It became like the case of Elijah when there was famine in Israel and he was in the wilderness. Scripture said the brook he depended on dried up and he had to look for another source. We see here how imperative it is to have more than one source of income. Unfortunately for us, our system and culture does not equip us with this kind of mindset. We have all being brought up to go to school and look for a job, and leave the financial aspect of our lives to our employers or the government.

We should learn from our Father in Heaven whom I believe is the greatest planner ever. When Jesus stood in the temple and gave the invitation to come and drink, he said that rivers, and not a river, will flow from the person’s belly. When God would place the righteous man in Psalm 1, he located him by rivers of water. So if our Father, the architect of all good things works with rivers, isn’t it right that we also follow in His steps?

Multiplying Your Sources
The greatest threat to multiplying your source of income is complacency and comfort. Most people are so comfortable with the brook they are living on and do not make any effort to plan for any contingency. Never ever settle down into a comfort zone. This is what destroys the destiny of many people. Naturally, our bodies love comfort and pleasure and once it tastes a little, it wants to settle there. Unfortunately, when difficult times hit, our bodies and mind have become so used to this zone that it becomes so difficult to change. Here are some points to note:

Get out of your comfort zone and don’t be a local champion. The comfort zone and the local champion mentality are the two greatest threats to greatness and effective living. Perhaps you are the best in your area and you think that’s the best ever. No! Write somewhere in your room, “I am not there yet.” The truth is that the moment you stop growing and aspiring, you start dying.

Have an eye for opportunity. This is where a lot of work needs to be done. If you are going to live successfully, you must have an eye for opportunity. During the gold rush in the Americas, a lot of people passed up great minefields because they do not recognize gold in its raw form. It is even worse in these days when people are just looking for made gold and not the ore, because a lot of work goes into making gold. Unfortunately it is the person that makes the gold that determines the price and availability. How do you develop this eye? Start reading materials on business. Don’t just stop at the gossip section of newspapers, read the business section too. Listen to business news. Read financial books.

Be ready to work hard. It is important that we mention this as trivial as it seems. There is no successful person in the world today that didn’t pay the price. None. Unfortunately, we have been fed with the lie that you can get something for nothing. It has never been so and it will never be. Even in many churches today, people come to God for “easy blessings.” When God made man, He included work in his job description (Gen 2:15). However, today people want circumvent this and use faith to get all they want. Scripture says in proverbs, a little sleep, a little slumber and poverty will come like an armed robber. There is no success without hard work. What do you do when you get home and on weekends, apart from church? Do you just sit down and watch TV or are you actively working on your future?

Have a goal for your finances. Bible says people perish for lack of vision. Vision is how far and how well you can see into the future, and they are revealed by your goals. If you don’t not have any goals, you will just live aimlessly in life. Another problem is that if you don’t have any goals, someone already has one for you. If you are not working actively on your goals, you are working on someone else’s goal. When you pay your satellite TV subscription, shop for clothes, pay the rent or buy food, you are working on someone else’s goal. It is not that any of these things are wrong; it only becomes an issue when you or no one is working on your own goals.

Conclusion
Dear friends, it is obvious that this economic situation we are in, may linger on for some time. What backup plan do you have apart from your paid job? In the late 2000s, ENRON corporation was the place to work. The company had all that you can ever want in a job. However, in 2001 the company collapsed. It was a disaster. Do not be caught stranded like the over 20,000 workers that were left without job overnight. Start planning for your financial future now. 😉