Biblical Wisdom for When You're Financially Underwater

As a mortgage professional, I talk to people about debt all the time. Some have just come through financial trouble; others are right on the cusp without fully realizing it. Reading Proverbs 6, I see practical wisdom for those moments.

Proverbs 6:1–5When Your Words Have Put You on the Hook

Solomon is talking about guaranteeing someone else's debt and/or pledging yourself to some obligation. I'm applying that warning here to promises others are relying on.

You've trapped yourself by what you said. You've made a promise, and now you're obligated to keep it.

But what happens when you realize you can't?

Solomon doesn't tell you to hide from the person and hope everything works out. He tells you to go to them, humble yourself, and deal with it urgently.

That means honestly asking to be released, not pressuring or harassing them into letting you go.

And that's actually doing what's best for them, too. They're counting on you to fulfill a promise that you know you may not be able to keep. They're making decisions based on something they believe is solid while you know it may not be. If you don't tell them, you're letting them put themselves at risk. It's a deficit for you AND for them.

Make it a priority.

Proverbs 6:6–11Then Solomon Turns to the Ant

The ant doesn't have someone standing over it saying, "Do this, do that." It knows what it has to do to survive. It knows what it has to do to fulfill its duty, and it does it.

Don't wait for somebody else to tell you what you already know is the right thing to do.

Then Solomon's warning about the sluggard gets a little more personal for me. That part convicts me.

I'm not writing this from a place of judgment. In some ways, this is a sermon to myself. I make a good living, meet my obligations, and I have savings. But could I be more productive? Could I be more disciplined with the time and resources that I've been given? Absolutely.

There are times when I already know the right next thing to do, and I still spend a good part of the morning scrolling Instagram or YouTube.

There's an important distinction here. This doesn't mean never rest.

The urgent language in that first section is for an emergency. Don't confuse that with a lifestyle. The ant isn't frantic. It's steady.

There's a difference between worrying about something, giving it over to God, and not putting your all into taking responsibility for resolving what's yours. We're given a Sabbath for a reason. We're allowed to place our troubles at the foot of the cross so they don't consume us with worry.

Sometimes, the anxiety itself leads to delay.

When it feels like it's all up to you, and none of it belongs to God, you put unrealistic expectations on yourself. Eventually you fail to meet them. That triggers guilt. Guilt leads to shame, and shame leads to the very pattern we're warned about: giving up, delaying, escaping.

Proverbs 6:12–15Don't Cheat Your Way Out

When you find yourself in these difficult situations, don't cheat your way out of it. That's also a trap.

Shortcuts that dodge honesty just dig the snare deeper. The honest way may feel costly up front, but it keeps you aligned and clear.

Integrity might move slower, but it keeps you out of the next trap.

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Scripture quotations taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.