How can I shake my financial anxiety
Dear Chuck,
I have lots of financial anxiety but can’t pinpoint exactly why. I pray and read the Bible but can’t shake the sense of fear that comes over me at times. What can I do to control it?
Fighting Financial Anxiety
Dear Fighting Financial Anxiety,
I am so sorry. This type of suffering is painful and can become debilitating. Recent surveys show that financial anxiety is widespread in America, reaching every demographic level. Let’s look at the most common areas of financial stress and help you identify root causes so you can overcome the anxiety.
- Everyday Life: Food, housing, utilities, healthcare, and transportation are consuming more household income. The July Pew Research Center survey found 69% of Americans very concerned about healthcare costs, 66% about food and consumer goods, and 64% about housing.
- Emergencies: The Federal Reserve reports that only 63% of adults could cover a $400 emergency with cash or its equivalent. Meanwhile, 59% experienced at least one major unexpected expense during the previous year.
- Retirement: Only 35% of non-retirees told the Federal Reserve that their retirement savings were on track. The 2026 EBRI/Greenwald Retirement Confidence survey found nearly half of Americans believe they are somewhat or very likely to outlive their savings.
- Debt: The Employee Benefit Research Institute found that 65% of workers consider debt a problem for their household, some calling it a major problem. Although 65 remains the median expected retirement age, more and more workers plan to retire later, to work during retirement, or to simply not retire.
General economic concerns
The Federal Reserve’s May 2026 Household survey found that price increases remain Americans’ most common financial concern. More than nine in 10 adults described rising prices as at least a minor concern, and 58% said price changes over the previous year had made their financial situation worse.
Gallup’s annual Economy and Personal Finance survey, conducted in April 2026, found similar results. Thirty-one percent of Americans named the high cost of living or inflation as their family’s greatest financial problem. Energy and housing costs followed at 13% each, with healthcare, debt, unemployment, and insufficient cash flow also creating anxiety.
A faithful heart and disciplined hands
It takes two characteristics to overcome financial anxiety: a faithful heart and disciplined hands. Reading the Bible, praying, and learning to place your trust in Christ daily are essential to learning not to fear. The Lord told us we can only live one day at a time. That is true not just physically but also emotionally. Most anxiety is generated through dwelling on an unknown future. By faithfully applying God’s Word day to day, we can experience peace regardless of our circumstances. We must have our financial house in order and trust God with what we cannot control.
We cannot control inflation, interest rates, the job market, or what happens to the economy. But we can prepare diligently, live within our means, avoid unnecessary debt, and build margin. I continually encourage families to build emergency savings. Start with $1,000; then work toward one month of living expenses and eventually three to six months. The sacrifices made today will cushion you in the future and reduce your stress as well.
Discipline is the ability to say “no” to what you want today so you can say “yes” to what you will need in the future. By combining complete trust in God’s love and care with careful application of His principles, we can escape the cycles of fear that bombard our minds. When we have the funds we need and a full reliance on the Lord, we are operating the way He taught us.
Biblical stewardship
Biblical stewardship is combining wise financial preparation with complete trust in God. Faith with action can calm financial fear. Deal with the situation by asking, “How can I wisely manage what God has entrusted to me today?”
Take real action
“The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5 NIV).
Create a spending plan, eliminate unnecessary expenses, build emergency savings, attack consumer debt, and consistently save for the future.
Recognize misplaced focus
“So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:31–34 NIV).
Seeking His Kingdom first means recognizing that this is not our home while keeping our eyes on the promises of God in the midst of our daily affairs — one day at a time. This is what helps me, and I hope it will help you. Be sure to look at some of the other resources we pulled together for you.
Extra resources
If credit card debt is adding to your anxiety, now is the time to work on eliminating it. Christian Credit Counselors can help. As a trusted Crown partner, they provide personalized debt management plans designed to reduce debt, lower financial stress, and help regain control of one’s finances.
Chuck Bentley is CEO of Crown Financial Ministries, a global Christian ministry, founded by the late Larry Burkett. He is the host of a daily radio broadcast, My MoneyLife, featured on more than 1,000 Christian Music and Talk stations in the U.S., and author of his most recent book, Economic Evidence for God?. Be sure to follow Crown on Facebook.
