I still remember the day I made that final mortgage payment.
After years of sacrifice and discipline, we’d finally done it.
Emergency fund? Check. Budget that actually worked? Check. Room to breathe? Check.
I’d reached that promised land of “financial peace” I’d heard so much about.
But something strange happened AFTER I reached financial stability…
Instead of feeling completely satisfied, I felt… restless.
Like I was missing something.
“Is this really it?” I caught myself thinking.
“Work, save, retire someday… is that the whole story?”
It was almost embarrassing to admit. After all, I’d achieved what so many people are still struggling for.
But the nagging feeling wouldn’t go away.
What I didn’t realize then was that I’d hit a ceiling in my financial journey…not because I was doing anything wrong, but because I’d outgrown the very mindset that got me there.
I learned something that changed everything for me:
The mindset for a stable life isn’t the same as the mindset for an abundant life
For years, I’d operated with a preservation mindset.
Save more. Spend less. Avoid risk. Stay safe.
That mindset was exactly what I needed when I was climbing out of debt.
But now it was holding me back from what God had next.
My breakthrough came when I realized I needed to make three fundamental shifts in how I thought about money:
1. I had to shift from preservation to multiplication.
My entire financial strategy had been built around protecting what I had.
But the parable of the talents (Matthew 25) showed me something profound – God rewards those who multiply resources, not just those who preserve them.
I started asking different questions.
Not just “How can I protect what I have?” but “How can I grow what God has entrusted to me?”
2. I learned to distinguish between foolish risk and faith-filled risk.
For years, I’d avoided risk at all costs.
But as I studied Scripture, I noticed something: Nearly every person God used took significant risks.
Abraham left everything familiar. Moses confronted Pharaoh. David faced Goliath.
I began to see that avoiding all risk wasn’t faithful stewardship – it was fear disguised as wisdom.
3. I had to start seeing with God’s eyes, not just my own.
I’d become excellent at managing money according to conventional wisdom – tracking every dollar, maintaining control, following systems.
But I was still seeing resources through my limited human perspective.
God was inviting me to see resources the way He sees them – as tools for Kingdom impact, not just personal security.
To recognize opportunities that my spreadsheets couldn’t calculate.
To make decisions based on eternal impact rather than just temporal protection.
That shift didn’t happen overnight. There were plenty of false starts and mistakes along the way.
But as my thinking changed, new doors began to open.
If you’re feeling that tension between stability and a sense that there must be more to your financial story, know this:
That feeling isn’t ingratitude – it’s growth.
It’s not discontentment – it’s discernment.
God has more for you on the other side of stability!
Looking back, I realize that financial stability wasn’t the summit of my journey – it was just base camp for a much greater adventure. I’d love to help you take the first steps beyond base camp, too!
I talk about my journey from money mess, to stability, and beyond to growth & giving beyond my imagination inside my book Simple Money, Rich Life. Inside, you’ll find encouragement and plenty of tools to walk out your own unique, God-given adventure.
Get a free copy of the book here (just help us cover shipping and handling)!
