Four Biblical truths you can hold on to during the cost of living crisis

If you need any reassurance that Jesus has promised to take care of you in this cost of living crisis, you’ll find it in Matthew 6. Woven throughout 34 verses is a beautiful thread of God’s loving provision, how he sees our hidden and individual needs and promises to sustain us.

When Jesus taught the disciples how to pray, he chose to include the phrase ​‘give us this day our daily bread’. This small but powerful statement reflects deep trust in God no matter the circumstances.

When the Israelites were in the desert, God sustained them with manna (a wafer bread-like substance) every day for 40 years. They had nothing left to sustain them; the plan wasn’t to be in the desert for 40 years! But God made a promise and he kept it, and Jesus tells us to ask God for the same daily provision.

Jesus also makes a point of telling the disciples not to worry about what they’ll eat or drink (verses 25–34). Worry, he explains, does not add any hours to your life, and he says that he even feeds the birds. How much more, he says, will he provide for us, for we are far more valuable to him.

Whether you’re doing a great job of budgeting, saving and preparing for the future, or whether, like the birds, you’re only able to source what you need for each day, God promises to take care of you anyway.

Even one of the names of God is Jehovah Jireh, meaning ​‘the Lord will provide’. May ​‘Jireh’ by Elevation Worship and Maverick City Music remind you that he will provide for you, no matter what. Or for a reminder that God continues to lead us out of our deserts into victory, listen to ​‘This We Know’ by Vertical Worship.

In Amos 5, God speaks of how the Israelites are making a show of their faith with festivals, feasts and sacrifices. Meanwhile, oppression and injustice are happening, and God is not okay with it. In verse 24, God urges his people to let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!’

On the surface, it looks like everything is going well. They’re feasting together, a primary way the Israelites shared community. However, God reminds us that he does not care for a show, nor does he care for the facade of community, if oppression is happening behind the scenes. He wants justice and righteousness for all people. Everyone. Every. One.

At the moment, it feels like there are whole groups of society who don’t stand a chance in the cost of living crisis. It is hard to know where to even begin ​‘fixing’ things. But there’s one thing that we can hold on to: God longs for justice far more than we do.

In Habakkuk 1 and 2, Habakkuk prophesies (speaks on behalf of God to his people). First comes the cry of lament that there is destruction, wickedness and injustice all around. Then comes God’s response that ​‘the righteous person will live by his faithfulness’ while the enemy, the wicked ones, will get what is coming to them. Justice will be served and righteousness will be restored.

The same is true in our lives: we can bring God the pain we see in front of us, knowing that here, too, righteousness will be restored.

‘Justice’ by Luke Finch and Ali McFarlane offers a prayer in the form of a song if you’re unsure how to pray for justice where you are today. Or, for a song committing to seeing justice roll like a river in your life, listen to ​‘God of Justice’ by Tim Hughes.

Daniel prays a similar prayer to the one in Habakkuk. He also sees a city around him that, although once dedicated to God, is now full of people who have turned from his commandments.

He cries out in grief, and while acknowledging the brokenness he sees all around him, he calls God ​‘great and awesome, who keeps his covenant of love’ (chapter 9, verse 4), ​‘righteous’ (verse 7), and ​‘merciful and forgiving’ (verse 9). He knows what he sees around him is a mess, but he also knows the Lord. In verse 18, therefore, he calls upon God’s mercy to restore in a way that we could never make happen on our own. He prays, ​‘We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy’.

Daniel knew God’s mercy personally, after being thrown into the lion’s den for refusing to stop worshipping God despite the orders of King Darius. The next day, not only was Daniel still alive, but ​‘no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.’ He used that history to frame his prayers with the truth that God’s mercy reigns no matter how dire things seem.

In the same way, you can draw on your relationship history with God, and how you’ve seen his goodness and faithfulness in your life. When you pray, you can lament with him the situations you or others are facing, and at the same time, find yourself drawing closer to him and his great love and mercy. Then, even lament becomes a gift, an invitation to step into more of his kindness.

For a reminder of God’s history with his people, and you personally, let ​‘History’ by Alton Eugene wash over you. Or, worship God for his mercy with ​‘Mercy’ by Amanda Cook.

In a time of extreme poverty, the Macedonian Church in 2 Corinthians 8:1–2 responded to the need with rich generosity (and take great joy in doing so). Instead of holding on to the little they had to try and meet their individual needs, they found joy in sharing with others, to make sure everyone was taken care of.

The early Church was built on this principle. Everyone had something to offer, and everyone had a role to play. The community, with the church at the heart, was centred on collective care and generosity, echoing God’s generous heart.

In their joyful giving, God extended his grace to the Macedonian Church. What an invitation this is for us to find ways we can be generous in this season of great need. Maybe it’s financially, but perhaps we can follow the generosity of the early Church too, and be generous with our time, our encouragement, our service and our friendship.

When we extend generosity to those around us, we can know that God will extend his grace to us too, for in our moment of serving others and looking out for them, we find ourselves cared for.

Matthew 5:7–9 in the Message says it like this: ​‘You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ​‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for.’

In a time where maybe you don’t have much to give, all you need to do is trust God and follow his nudge to offer generosity in ways you are able. He knows your needs, too, and will see to that they are met, as he brings overflowing joy and grace into your own situation. It makes no sense in any kingdom but God’s, but it’s his promise that stands no matter where you find yourself in life.

‘Into Faith I Go’ by Pat Barrett offers a song of surrender to whatever faith looks like for you, stepping out of fear into the open field of unbreakable faith. For a reminder of his goodness, may Bethel’s ​‘Goodness of God’ be a soothing balm to your soul. Finally, if you’re still feeling fearful, I really encourage you to play ​‘Not Afraid’ by Jesus Culture today.

If you’re looking for practical support for your financial situation or debt, we can help. CAP offers free, professional debt help, as well as money management courses, help with employment and life skills. All of this is done in your local community (through a local church).

Maybe your step of faith today looks like taking that step to reach out for support. We’re not made to struggle alone, which is why God put us in community and told us to look after one another from day one. We’re here to help: don’t wait. Get in touch today.