5 Ways to Pray for Financial Peace on the National Day of Prayer
May 1st is the National Day of Prayer in the United States. It’s a day for believers to pray for their local, state and national leaders. It’s also a great time to pray for financial peace—on a personal level and on a much larger scale.
1. Admit Your Own Financial Sin
The Bible says, “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them” (James 4:17, NIV). It’s impossible to out-give God. Whether you barely give at all or steadily contribute tithes and offerings, talk to God about areas where you’re holding back. Repent, and ask God to help you to be a faithful, cheerful giver.
2. Thank God
We have all been blessed in some way. One blessing every Christian has in common is Jesus. Thank God for sending His Son to be our Savior. Then thank Him for the other blessings He has provided, such as family members, a close friend or a place to call home. It doesn’t matter whether you consider yourself wealthy or you’re struggling to pay the bills. “Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2, NIV).
3. Ask for Financial Wisdom
“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5, NIV). We’re not talking about asking for tomorrow’s winning lottery numbers or which stocks are going to surge. We’re talking about the wisdom to make good financial choices that honor the Lord. Ask God to guide your decisions and show you how to apply His many timeless, biblical truths about money.
4. Pray for Your Community
This may include your church, school, university and city or county government, and the Bible says it’s not optional:
The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. (1 Timothy 2:1-3, The Message)
There was recently a small Florida town that made national news for its alleged gross misconduct involving money. Town leaders seem to have placed greed and power above the good of the people, to the point where the state is considering dissolving the town altogether. Pray that your local leaders would be honest stewards of the resources with which they’ve been entrusted. Pray for God to root out any corruption or evil that may have crept into the picture.
5. Pray for Your Country
Regardless of your political views, it’s important to pray for the authorities who govern the nation. The United States is in debt in a massive way, and that debt continues to grow. Pray that our leaders would find a solution. Pray for peace within the country. Pray that people would turn to God. “He makes nations great, and destroys them; he enlarges nations, and disperses them” (Job 12:23, NIV).
