There’s a direct correlation to our frugal life and prayer. I could give you countless examples of when nothing made sense with our plans or finances, but we stopped to pray and days later all our questions were answered.
Of course, God’s not a magic genie who will answer all your wants with a yes, yes and yes. However, He does promise to provide for our needs. God will help you navigate whatever situations you’re facing in your own frugal life. That starts by giving every situation over to Him in prayer.
How do I connect my frugal life and prayer together?
Simply start by recognizing where all things within your frugal life come from.
Easy answer – God.
Do you have enough food to eat? That’s a gift from God. Do you currently have a job? God gave you that job. Has someone given you hand me downs or offered to watch your kids? That’s another blessing from God.
One of the main reasons my husband and I choose to live a frugal life is because of the dependence we need to have on the Lord. It’s not a frugal life and a perfect budget. It’s not a frugal life and a well-paying job. It’s a frugal life and prayer that makes living through each day possible.
Making Prayer Practical
A frugal life and prayer is less about praying for the things you really want and more about praying for God’s will to be done. Quite frankly, we have no idea what God’s will is for our next hour, day, or year. Sometimes He pushes us toward a new career or we experience unexpected bill after bill after bill. We cannot begin to understand the ways of God. But we know His ways are “good.” He is a good God.
“The Lord is good to all and His mercy is over all that He has made.” Psalm 145:9
When choosing to live frugally – which could mean making less money for the sake of your family or picking a job that helps others more than helps your own finances – you’re choosing a deeper trust in God. No longer can you trust in your own paycheck to save up for your kid’s braces in the future or that someday home you hope to purchase. Instead, you’re praying that in His timing, God will supply what you need in the moment.
American culture wants to set you up as a millionaire today so you’ll never have to worry about tomorrow. But we don’t find comfort in the midst of worry from a big savings account or an excessive amount of possessions. (Though savings IS important and I fully support saving what you can. Read more about saving here.) We find safety in the promise that whatever God allows, He will also provide for.
“He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.” 2 Corinthians 9:10-11
This verse goes beyond just promising that God will provide for your needs, and expands to how he’ll provide for others through your own needs being met. When God gives more than you expected, you have the power to show generosity to others as well.
With a frugal life and prayer, we trusted God would provide for us in whatever means He saw fit, then we prayed to have enough to bless others with in the future as well.
Examples in our Frugal Life
One of the best ways to build belief that a frugal life and prayer go hand in hand is to hear testimonials from others. How has God provided for others? What does it look like to be grateful when we have so little? Where are God’s blessings?
Let me tell you a couple of stories…
Six years ago, my husband and I were living in North Carolina on the seminary campus at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. We pretended our housing wasn’t as dingy as it was, worked weird hours and weird jobs to fully pay our of pocket for life and seminary, and tried to pinch pennies in every way possible.
Our marriage wasn’t going great, but we knew we’d be together forever because that’s what we committed to at the altar, so the only answer was to stick to our frugal life and pray.
We trusted God would provide for us, otherwise He likely wouldn’t have led us to seminary. Sometimes it was a holiday letter from Grandma that contained $60. Sometimes it was free food another seminary family offered to share with us.
One day, we reported for to serve at our normal greeting position at the front doors for church. We had been getting to know a couple a little older than us. Ya know, the kind of people you learn from because they’re doing all the things you’ll be doing in five years.
Well, they walked up to us, smiled, and handed us a check. Then said they hoped it could bless us, then went on their merry way to worship with the rest of the church attendees. This check was for $500 and when Travis and I opened it later at home, we were truly speechless. It’s not like we were praying for God to send us $500, but the Lord knew the bills and expenses ahead and chose to bless us before the rain came.
A few months later, another couple we knew were looking to get rid of an old car they had. Travis and I shared a car during our time at seminary because it just seemed like the savvy thing to do. One car insurance bill, one tank of gas, and just one oil change every couple months. After a nice dinner and dessert with friends, they suggested giving us their second car for as long as it would last. With a baby on the way, a second car would change a lot of difficult situations for us.
And to give you a more recent act of provision, I’ll share about a phone call we had just one year ago. Last July, we were planning to list our house on Airbnb for the football season. We live near the stadium and figured if we could stay with my parents for some occasional weekends in the fall, we could rent out our own home and make some extra income to save up for our six month road trip.
Starting up a rental is no cheap endeavor. You’re paying for multiple permits, purchasing extra bed sheets and towels, plus investing in extra insurance to keep the house properly covered… or so we thought. Travis called the insurance company one day with his credit card in hand, ready to pay a higher premium. Imagine our shock when they realized we had actually been overpaying, helped us lower our rate, then credited us money we were overcharged.
Talk about provision. With our home as a rental, we’ve been able to then bless others with free or discounted stays and a homey place to camp out.
With prayer, we don’t have to worry about having enough or making the right frugal choices. Instead, we can trust the Lord will pave a path before us and all we need to do is follow what we know would honor Him.
See ya around!
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