Is it Okay to Pray to God for Money?

Prayer for money is probably one of the most common prayers that God hears. After all, money is important to our lives. But it’s not the most important thing. It’s necessary for living, but it shouldn’t be lived for.

Over two thousand verses in the Bible deal with money. Almost half of Jesus’s parables also deal with money. God thought it was important for us to hear His views of money because our opinions on money reveal the make-up of our hearts. And our hearts are precious to God most of all. He looks at your heart whenever you pray for money.

A Biblical Prayer for Money

Dear Lord,

Help me to be satisfied with every blessing you have given me. Help me remember that You are always with me and You will never fail me nor abandon me. You graciously give me all that I need. If there is specific work I can do in order to get the money that I need, show me where to go and what to do. Help me work hard whenever I can. Help me know the difference between my needs and my wants. I know that what I want is not always necessary. Help my heart to be eager to give to others because You are always eager to give to me. Everything I have comes from You, Lord. You are a gracious Father who loves to fulfill the needs of His children.

In Jesus’s Name I pray, Amen.

It is good to neither be poor nor rich. Instead, desire for just the right amount to satisfy your needs. Becoming too rich may lead you to feel like you don’t need the Lord. Being too poor may lead you to steal out of necessity (Proverbs 30:8-9). Pray for contentment. I feel confident that the same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs as well (Philippians 4:19). Keep on seeking the Kingdom of God above all else, and He will give you everything you need (Matthew 6:33) as you pray for the money you need.

Prayer for Money - Is it Biblical?

Can we say a prayer for money? We use money in this life, but our wanting of it should never enslave us. No one can serve both God and money at the same time (Matthew 6:24). Serving God often means using money to help other people. The love, or serving, of money, leads you to only think for yourself. But if you step away from your enslavement to money you will be unencumbered and free to follow Christ into true riches (Matthew 19:21).

Loving God leads you into a mindset of abundance where you feel you have enough to share with others. However, loving money leads you into a scarcity mindset where you feel you’ll never have enough, and you must hoard every bit that comes to you. The love of God and the love of money are warring concepts. When you love money, you will never feel like you have enough. It’s untrue that the more money you have, the more happiness you’ll achieve (Ecclesiastes 5:10).

Money isn’t evil, but the love of money is a root that can develop into all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). When your love of money exceeds your love of God, you may find yourself on a dark path that leads you to do evil things in order to get money. Judas betrayed his friend because money seemed more important. The love of money can give evil a foothold. It is good to guard your heart against every kind of greed because life is not measured by how much you own (Luke 12:15).

Money gives the illusion that when you have enough you will have everything you want. But often, the money you have pushes the guidepost of what you desire out into the future. You are left wanting even more. The more you have the more you want. However, you can concentrate on the guidepost of your desire more than the want of more money. Envisioning the guidepost of your desire moving closer is the better solution. Adjusting your desires to match your money level leaves you feeling content. Conversely, adjusting your money levels to match your out-of-reach desires leaves you feeling inadequate.

How to Be Content with the Money You Have

It is good to be content with the amount of money you have even when you don’t feel like it’s enough. Focus on what you need instead of what you want. Then you will feel much richer. It is also good to think of your integrity. Choose a good reputation over great riches (Proverbs 22:1). Placing gratitude, contentment, and integrity over the love of money honors God. Instead of asking God for wealth, fame, or political gain, King Solomon asked Him for wisdom and knowledge to help his constituents. This request honored God, and He gave Solomon what he asked for plus wealth that he hadn’t asked for (2 Chronicles 1:11-12).

Working hard to provide for yourself and your family is a good thing. Lazy people grow poor while hard workers get rich (Proverbs 10:4). There is more integrity in working for money than simply having it handed to you. You reap what you sow. It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work in this brief life that God gave you (Ecclesiastes 5:18). You have what you have because God is good. Enjoying the life you have will keep you from fretting about the desire for what you don’t have (Ecclesiastes 5:20). And when you’re consumed by the worries of this life and the lure of wealth, you will produce nothing, because your worry hinders you from working hard.

If you have a lot of money, always remember that God gave you the ability to have every single dollar you possess. Don’t become proud of something that can so easily be taken away. If you don’t feel you have enough money, thank God for each dollar that He has provided to you. Don’t let money guide your happiness. Pray for God’s wisdom about money.

Trust in God as your provider. That is one of God’s names. Jehovah Jireh, which means the Lord will provide. God takes care of His people. He sends rain at the proper time and blesses the work you do. He makes some poor and others rich (1 Samuel 2:7). God gives you the power that makes you successful. His blessings make a person rich (Proverbs 10:22). Pray for money knowing that He is a great provider.

The Importance of Your Mindset When Praying for Money

With the right mindset about money, you are in a good place to honor God with everything you need or want. You realize that you have had a sufficient meal and can afford to give to your neighbor who hasn’t eaten yet. You can develop a lifestyle of giving instead of always receiving and taking. Your storage containers will always be full because you are mostly desiring only what you need. Giving out of a grateful heart is the best way into abundance. Loving your neighbor leads to receiving abundantly. The more you use the tool of money to do good for others, the richer you will feel.

In Mark 12, a poor widow dropped two small coins in the collection box, leaving an empty purse for herself. Jesus applauded her by saying that she had given more than everyone else in the room. Most had given a little out of their surplus. She gave everything she had to live on. Whose heart was bigger? Scripture doesn’t say this, but I’m sure that Jesus made sure that this woman was provided for long after that day. I base my opinion on the story of another widow in Zarephath. The widow of Zarephath (1 Kings 17:7-16) made a meal for God’s prophet, Elijah, even though she and her son were starving. In return, Elijah provided her with an endless supply of flour and cooking oil so she and her son would have plenty to eat in the future. Pray for the same attitude about money that these two widows had.

You cannot out-give God. Give and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full, pressed down, shaken together to make room for more. It will run over straight into your lap. The amount you give determines the amount you get back (Luke 6:38).

Is It Okay to Pray to God for Money?

Be heavenly-minded and think of God before you fret over money. Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them, rust destroys, and thieves break in to steal them. Doing good deeds and helping others stores treasures in heaven for you. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart follow (Matthew 6:19-21). Pray for a heavenly perspective.

This is the starting point where you can pray to God for money: With your heart and your focus fixed on Him. Yes, you can pray for money that is needed for your basic needs while also thanking Him for His past provision. Don’t pray for money that will be used only on yourself. Pray for money that can be used to help others. Money is simply a tool, and God knows you need some in this world. It’s okay to pray for money when your motivation is right.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/HappyNati 

Jennifer Heeren loves to write and wants to live in such a way that people are encouraged by her writing and her attitude. She loves to write devotional articles and stories that bring people hope and encouragement. Her cup is always at least half-full, even when circumstances aren’t ideal. She regularly contributes to Crosswalk. Her debut novel is available on Amazon. She lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband. Visit her at her website and/or on Facebook.

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