She wants to buy new dinnerware to replace the old, chipped, mismatched set worn from many years of use. He wants a new lawn mower to replace the one he has to keep fixing. And the kids "need" new clothes. Who gets their way? How do we find financial harmony in a world of endless financial demands?
It's not necessarily a materialistic bent that creates the wants in our financial plans. The law of belongings is that they all break or wear out with time. Moth and rust destroys everything we own, after all. But sometimes determining priorities in our spending can get tricky. Establishing a protocol of taking turns with the budget is not necessarily the wisest or most harmonious method, either. So how do we cultivate a harmonious financial plan at home?
Motivation
Vying for financial priorities can create friction at home unless we understand one another's hearts. As we seek to know one another, we learn what is important to each other and can seek to honor one another's desires without enabling them.
Trust
Trusting one another to be considerate of our priorities, we create a safe zone to discuss financial priorities without feeling threatened.
Teachability
Teachability and humility go a long way to ensuring financial harmony in the home. When we get "encamped" on our wants, we can put up walls rather than surrendering our desires and having a servant's heart.
Accountability: Keeping our hearts in check
Pride tries to get a wedge in relationships when we don't want someone else to tell us what we can spend and what we can't.
Exposing the Real Root
Having the wisdom to understand the real root of disharmony - fear, hurt feelings, or not getting our way, we see that the real problem is spiritual. The people God has lovingly placed in our lives are not the enemy. Our attitudes are. Pursuing peace produces harmony in our relationships and just might also work toward a harmonious financial relationship, too.
As you seek to nurture financial harmony in your home, may the articles and video below be an added encouragement.