Most of us have experienced loneliness at one point or another. Whether it’s a period of transition, a break-up, loss, or an isolated incident, everyone knows how deeply a lonely feeling can drag you down and make you feel helpless. Aside from being an emotional response that can be pushed away, loneliness can also have a deep financial impact.
Loneliness can often lead to excessive or frivolous spending to cope with the empty feeling. Loneliness can lead to wanting to fill a void or wanting something to make you feel better, but spending on such items only serves to further the stress associated with financial worry. The urge to overspend can range from purchasing small items to treating yourself to buying full shopping carts. We can see how spiritual lessons can help alleviate loneliness, but it is just as important to recognize how our financial decisions can be swayed by it.
For example, if you find yourself lost in loneliness and spending money on your own needs or wants, “…a man who loves money will never have enough; how meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!”(Ecclesiastes 5:10). Spending money when dealing with loneliness becomes a form of self-destructive behavior. This kind of behavior erodes your financial stability and may lead to compounding debt that can be hard to escape from. Or chronic cycling of getting in and out of debt.
To avoid spending too much and ruining your credit or emptying your savings, try to remain mindful of your spending habits. Even simply counteracting the urge to go shopping with a walk or another activity can help better discern between needs and wants. Call a friend, or accountability partner, think twice, and pause if you find yourself in a store buying multiple items. Remember, the presence of God can bring assurance, joy, and peace that no item can ever replace.
God offers us comfort in trying times, and it is not lost on him when we feel lonely. He provides us with the ability to identify and fight these feelings of loneliness. It is only with God’s presence and help that we can recognize such lies and resist them. “O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1). To counter the financial implications of loneliness, we should deeply consider what needs can be met without resorting to spending money. In times of need and serious decision-making, we should pause and turn to Him in prayer because only He can fill us with joy and peace that money can never buy.
~Charlie
Comments