Why More Money Won't Solve Financial Stress

EOFY can make money feel like a never-ending scoreboard: tax returns, deductions, budgets, and loud advice online about how to get ahead. We wanted to slow that noise down and ask a better question: what if financial peace has less to do with how much we earn, and more to do with how we steward what we already have?

We share three biblically backed shifts that have reshaped how we think about money and stress. First, stewardship starts with what is already in your hands, not someone else’s income. Then we talk about money as a tool, not a master, and the subtle ways fear can move money into the driver’s seat. Finally, we unpack why margin matters, how preparation can be an act of faith, and what Proverbs 21 and Joseph’s story show us about planning without panic.

You’ll leave with practical, realistic next steps for budgeting, tracking spending, building an emergency fund, paying down debt, and choosing generosity with intention, plus one simple prompt to sit with this week. 

If you want to go deeper, we also share how the She’s Organised Hub supports women with coaching, Bible studies, and practical resources. 

Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find faith-led financial stewardship that actually brings peace.

Transcript

Welcome And A Different Money Question

Mel 0:22

Welcome to Beyond Organised, the podcast that helps you simplify your life and amplify your purpose. I'm Mel Schenker, life coach, speaker, founder of She's Organised, but, more importantly, a wife and mum of four little kids. If you've ever felt overwhelmed, like you're constantly juggling everything but never quite catching up, this is the place for you. Here we go beyond just the tidying up and creating systems. We're talking about real life strategies that bring order to your life, but also we talk about the things beyond the organising, the things that really matter, like your parenting relationships and so much more. So grab your coffee and let's dive in.

EOFY Noise And Real Financial Peace

Mel 0:59

With the end of financial y year here in Australia, everyone's starting to talk about tax returns, deductions, budgets, and making more money. Social media fills us up with advice about saving tax, building wealth, and getting ahead financially. While there's nothing wrong with those conversations, I want to ask a different question today. What if financial peace had less to do with how much you earn and more to do with how you steward what you've already been given? Because over the years, I've learned something that's challenged the way that I think about money. I've met people earning very little who have incredible peace. They aren't worrying about their time tapping their card, they're intentional, they're prepared, and they know where their money's going. I've also met people earning hundreds of thousands of dollars who still feel stressed every payday. They're constantly chasing the next pay rise and the next promotion and even the next financial milestone, hoping that that will finally bring them that peace that they're looking for. And the difference wasn't always in the income, it was stewardship. I truly believe that financial stress and financial stewardship are two completely different mindsets. Now that's something that God has had to teach me personally. And even more so this year. I've walked through seasons where money has been incredibly tight, and seasons where unexpected bills arrived at the wrong time. Seasons where I honestly thought if I could just earn a little bit more money, everything would be easier. Everything would be fine. Maybe you felt that too. But over time, God really started changing my perspective. I realized that financial peace didn't begin when my income changed. It began when my thinking changed. Because financial stress isn't always an income problem. Often it's a stewardship problem. And before you hear any condemnation, because that is not my heart in it at all, stewardship isn't about having it all together. It's about faithfully caring for what God has entrusted to you, whether that's a little or a lot. So today I want to share three simple biblically backed shifts that have completely changed the way that I think about money. My prayer is that by the end of this episode, you'll walk away with greater peace and purpose and just some practical steps to help you this week and beyond in stewarding your finances with a little bit more intentionality.

Start With What You Have

Mel 3:51

So, first point: stewardship begins with what you already have. In Luke 16, 10, it says, whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. And whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. I love this verse because Jesus isn't talking about how much we have, he's talking about how faithful we are with what we have. I think one of the biggest lies of our culture, it tells us that more money automatically equals less stress. Now it does play a part. I do understand. I know I have felt less stressed when I've had a bit more in the bank, but it doesn't always work that way. I hear things all the time. If I just earned another $500 a week, if I got that promotion, if my business grew, all that kind of stuff, you know, then life would feel easier. And while having more income can certainly help, I've realized something over the years. I've met people with very little who have had incredible peace. And I've also met people on the other end, as I mentioned before. And the difference wasn't always in the income, it was the stewardship. God never asks us to start with someone else's income. He asks us to start with what he's already placed in our hands. I think sometimes we're so busy asking God for increase that we forget his asking us about faithfulness. Do I know where my money is going? Am I making intentional good choices and decisions? Am I simply just reacting every month, hoping everything works itself out? Perhaps you're just putting all your tithes in the collection plate and just burying your head in the sand because it's like it's too hard. So I'm just gonna give and trust that he will provide. It's it doesn't quite work that way. And stewardship, it's not about getting it all right and getting it all perfect, but it is about partnering with the Lord with our finances and being intentional about it. As choosing to faithfully care for what God has already entrusted to us today. Here is the good thing: God measures faithfulness before he measures increase. He isn't looking for perfect, and he's certainly not looking for your perfect spreadsheets, though I do love a good spreadsheet. He's looking for faithful hearts, and that's something that he's really had to arrest me on over even just this year. Things that I knew I was doing so well and doing so right, but there was still a part of my heart that was holding on to the fear rather than surrendering that to the Lord and letting him control my situations and what's going on. He is looking for the faithful hearts. And stewardship always begins with what's already in your hands today. That's usually the best place to start, anyway.

Money As Tool Not Master

Mel 7:19

So, point number two, money is a tool, not a master. So Jesus said in Matthew 6, 24, no one can serve two masters. You can't serve both God and money. Some versions will even say mammon. I'm not gonna go into all of that. You can look that up. And notice Jesus didn't say money was evil. Money feeds families, it keeps the lights on, it funds ministries and blesses people, it creates opportunities, it can be a wonderful gift. The problem begins when money starts making our decisions instead of God. I can't remember if I've said it on one of these episodes or not, but I did a little exercise this year, earlier this year, where I replaced a lot of scriptures with the word money instead of God. And I realized it actually rang true. So, for example, I can do all things through money who gives me strength. Nothing is impossible with money. Like all these verses, all these things that should be God, I realized I was putting money in that position instead. And when that reality hit me, I realized I'd been going about this wrong. Yes, I'm great with a spreadsheet. Yes, I can help you with your finances and make a dollar stretch and make the budget work. But you know what? I was doing all of that in my own life, but things were still going backwards. And I realized it's because the Lord was after my heart in this, and not just like, yeah, okay, you can tick all the boxes, you can do all the right things, but life is still gonna be throwing these things at you. And unless you surrender it to me and trust me to provide for you truthfully and not you having to work harder because I know you can work harder, but trust me with it, then until that happens, you're gonna be a bit stuck. And I was. But thankfully, I listened and I've learned my lesson. And so you'll even see a shift with my podcast and a shift with my business that the words and the way I'm going about it is a bit different. Yes, I can still help absolutely anyone across their organizing journey. And I love doing that. But I do speak more specifically to the Christian women because what he's entrusting me and showing me and revealing to me, I know, is for those Christian women that are operating on that level and ready to hear it. Now, does that mean if you're not a Christian, you can't use this? It doesn't apply to you, not at all. But there's a lot of steps in a way to walk through to get even to this position of understanding stewardship. So when our peace depends on our bank balance, when generosity gets postponed because we never feel like we have enough, which was me. When fear controls every financial decision we make, that's when money quietly moves from being a tool and a resource to becoming our master. One picture that's really helped me is imagining every dollar as a little employee. Every dollar wakes up waiting for an assignment. Some are sent to pay the mortgage, some to buy groceries, some build savings, help in need, invest in the future. But if they're never given a purpose, then they have a habit of disappearing, fall asleep on the job. So instead of asking, how much money do I have, started asking, what has God entrusted this money to accomplish. That one question did change everything. And I'm very grateful to someone I consider a mentor now. She is based in the US that I've been journeying with this year, and the incredible women in that group that has really shifted the way that I think on financial stewardship. And so having this thought, it did change a lot for me because money isn't the destination. That's not the end goal, and it is for so many people, but it's actually not for Christians like us. Money is simply a tool that God has entrusted to us for a purpose. Money is a wonderful servant, but it makes a terrible master.

Building Margin For Peace

Mel 12:13

And the third point I want to talk about is stewardship creates margin, peace, and freedom. So a proverb that I've really come to love lately is Proverbs 21, 20. The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down. Now, there's way too much to unpack in this right now. But I'll touch on the key points and also why I like it. So when I read that, we might miss what it's really saying. Because food and oil represented wealth and security, provision, preparation. The wise person wasn't living in fear. The wise person was prepared. And I think that is such an important distinction because sometimes as Christians, we think preparation somehow means we don't trust God or we don't prepare and bury our head in the sand. And that means we have greater trust in God. So, you know, the opposite. It can go both ways. But scripture does teach something different. Look at Joseph. God gave him wisdom to prepare during the seven years of abundance so Egypt would survive the seven years of famine. Joseph trusted God completely, but he also planned. He stored and he prepared. And preparation wasn't a lack of faith. It was an act of obedience and an act of faith. And that's why I love saying this. Preparation is often an act of faith. Financial margin and buffers, it isn't about becoming wealthy. It's about creating that breathing room. And breathing room responds instead of reacts. Breathing room can be generous when someone has a need or when the washing machine breaks down, which has happened a few times to me. But breathing room can also help when life throws something unexpected your way. And how many people have had unexpected things thrown their way? I think we all have. Maybe margin fee starts with putting $20 into savings. Maybe it's canceling your subscriptions that you're not even using. Could be the TV, it could be the gym. I'm not gonna judge. Maybe it's finally writing down where your money goes each month. Maybe it's paying off some extra debt. Small decisions repeated consistently create faithful stewardship. And over time, the stewardship produces something so much deeper than wealth. It produces peace and freedom. Not because you suddenly have more money, which can happen as a result of being obedient and doing these things, but because your money is finally serving your values instead of controlling your emotions. Stewardship isn't really about the money, it's about your faithfulness. Because God does provide. I've seen it, I've seen it time and time again, even when I was so desperate. God does provide. And stewardship, it's our response to his provision.

One Small Step This Week

Mel 15:51

As we finish up today, because I wanted to keep this short and sweet, straight to the point, because there's so much to cover in this, and I just wanted to highlight it being the end of financial year. I don't want you to feel overwhelmed. You don't need to go and completely overhaul your finances tonight. Instead, I'd love you to simply sit with this one question. What is one financial step God is prompting me to take this week? Maybe you start creating a budget around it or an emergency fund, paying down your debt. That's always a good one. Even just choosing to be generous with the little you've got. Maybe it's simply inviting God back into an area of your life where you took back control instead of surrendering it to him. And that was me. That was the thing that he needed to work on with me. Not debt, not savings, not anything else, but other than letting him take the lead again. Remember, stewardship isn't built through one big decision, one big moment of doing something like this. It's through consistent, small acts of faithfulness again and again and again. And those small decisions shape our character just as much as they shape our bank account. Because financial freedom isn't simply about having more money, though it is nice and it can help. It's about having greater alignment between your values, your decisions, and your resources. God isn't asking you to steward someone else's finances. Well, perhaps he is if you're called to a certain ministry or career, but he's asking you to first steward your own finances.

Hub Invitation And Final Wrap

Mel 17:48

So if today's episode encouraged you and you'd love to go deeper, this was actually just a small snapshot of one of the recent monthly group coaching calls that I had inside the She's Organized Hub. And inside the hub, we spent over an hour unpacking these biblical principles along with practical ways to spend, save, give, and grow with intention. We explored how to build financial margins, do it every season well, and create lasting financial peace, God's way. Along with this coaching call, you'll also find an entire library of previous coaching calls covering time, home, work, self-care, and so much more. It's practical resources that you can implement straight away. We also have monthly Bible studies, live coaching calls, and even live coffee catch-ups, which is a lot of fun. It's a beautiful community of women who are learning to steward every area of their life with purpose. And if that sounds like something that you'd love to be a part of, I'd love to welcome you inside the Cheese Organized Hub. You'll find the link in the show notes, and I really hope I get to connect with you there. If you like this episode, don't forget to hit subscribe so you don't miss what's coming next. And if you want to continue the conversation, you can connect with me on Instagram @shes.organised or for some free resources, head over to beyondorganised.com/toolkit. Remember, organising is a tool to live the purposeful life beyond it. See you next time.