Don't Save For A Rainy Day!
By Michael A. Verdicchio
As Christians, our thoughts and corresponding actions are a very important part
of our belief system. What does it communicate to your mind if you are saving
for a rainy day?
Have you ever noticed that positive people attract positive things into their
lives? Perhaps you've also observed that negative people attract negative things
into their lives. What you focus your mind on, you will bring into your life.
That's why I don't believe in saving money for a "rainy day."
Many times you hear people say things like, "I'm saving money for a rainy day,"
or, "I'm putting money aside in case of an emergency."
But how does that thinking affect your mind? Your mind is now looking for,
expecting, and actually attracting an emergency. Why? Because every time you
take the action of putting money aside, "in case of an emergency," you are
building in your mind the fact that an emergency is eminent. You have told your
mind what that money is for, and your mind responded by simply saying, "Okay."
So am I saying don't save any money? Absolutely not! I am saying not to save
money for a negative purpose. Save for retirement. Save for a home project. Save
for college tuition for your children.
What about saving for a fabulous vacation? Imagine reinforcing that to your
brain on a regular basis! Call it your vacation fund and watch it grow.
Anticipate how wonderful it will be when you finally leave for the vacation of
your dreams!
Now, along the way an emergency may come up. And if necessary, that would
financially take precedence over a vacation. But the important point is not to
focus on rainy days or emergencies. Your focus on saving money should pinpoint
something positive.
And did you know that as you continue to save money, your mind is aware of that?
Your mind knows that the money is growing. That's a good thing because your mind
will want to naturally attract more. What you focus on expands.
We Christians really need to evaluate our thinking and corresponding actions.
They ought to line up with the promises of God.
I remember once that in just a short time I saved hundreds of dollars in
spending money for a family vacation. My wife and I and our two adult children
made plans to go to Italy for a family vacation. This would be our last vacation
with just the four of us since my daughter was getting married.
We had acquired the necessary funds by the date required to take the trip. What
was lacking was spending money. I had a plan.
Many years ago when we lived in California, and the kids were little, we saved
quarters in a jar for over 2 years in order to take them to Disneyland. But this
was a much bigger project and we only had less than five months.
My wife and I made an agreement. I had a small leather wastebasket that I bought
a few years before when she and I visited Florence, Italy. Any time either of us
had a five dollar bill we agreed to put it into that basket. Then, a couple days
before we were to leave for our family vacation, we would take out all the
fives, count them, and disperse the money so that we could all have some
spending cash.
Neither my wife nor I can ever remember seeing so many five-dollar bills before!
Instead of getting a ten-dollar bill in change, they were giving us two fives.
Every time we turned around another five dollar bill appeared, and into the
basket they went, week after week.
Every time we put a five in the basket, it would simply reinforce to our minds
that we were gathering fives. So on a very regular basis, almost every day, for
a moment or two, we were focusing on five-dollar bills. It was fun and it was
exciting. And that's exactly what we attracted into our lives.
Shortly before the trip, we counted and divided up the money. We had collected
hundreds of dollars.
You can do the same thing with a special savings account or whatever method you
like. For me, that leather basket represented something special. Seeing it every
day just helped me to lock in my mind and heart.
Our minds really do attract what we focus on. I know that some call it "The Law
of Attraction." Others refer to it as "The Law of Vibration," or "The Power of
Positive Thinking." Some say, "You become what you look at."
You can call it what you want to, I just know the Bible says, "As he thinks in
his heart so is he." Consistent thoughts in your mind will end up in your heart
and when that happens, that's what you will bring into your life. The mind is a
lot like a magnet.
For Christians, it is important for us to know what the Bible say, and then
believe it and act accordingly.
So if you're saving money, check your purpose and make sure it is a positive
purpose, like a vacation, or an investment, or college education. Just keep it
positive, because what you focus on will expand.