As you sit down at your desk, and prepare for another day in the office, you overhear a conversation between two of your coworkers. “My husband and I just closed on a house in the most perfect neighborhood,” one of them says. She names a part of town you wouldn’t dream of living in, a part of town reserved for those with a six-figure income. “That’s where my wife and I live!” a second replies.

While eavesdropping, you evaluate your own situation. You’re struggling to pay your mortgage. You’ve started to accumulate debt. And you’ve stopped reading your bank statement because its always bad news. You don’t need to live in the most luxurious part of town; you just wish your finances didn’t cause so much stress. What makes me so different from them? You think.

Have you been here before? Every time the topic of finances comes up, you cringe. Maybe you’ve diligently budgeted your money. Maybe you’ve sought advice from a financial professional. Maybe you’ve downloaded the most advanced finance apps. But in spite of your best efforts, you’re still living paycheck to paycheck. And you’re still stressed.

If you’re staring at a near-empty bank account today, I invite you to open your Bible and dive into God’s Word. I invite you to meditate on its messages of peace, hope and perseverance. And I invite you to join me in reciting these four prayers:

1. Lord, give me peace when money is tight.
   Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid. – John 14:27 (GNTD)
2. Lord, give me hope when I have none.
   May God, the source of hope, fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.– Romans 15:13 (GNTD)
3. Lord, give me wisdom as I make decisions about my money.
   Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way.– Proverbs 3:5-6 (GNTD)
4. Lord, provide for my needs.
   Look at the crows: they don't plant seeds or gather a harvest; they don't have storage rooms or barns; God feeds them! You are worth so much more than birds!– Luke 12:24 (GNTD)