Summer Spiritual Practice
Where Do We Find Security?
by Rev. Cameron Trimble
Our culture often treats financial stability as the most important kind of security. We spend years building careers, saving money, investing, and planning for retirement. Much of our lives are shaped by the hope that careful planning will keep us safe from uncertainty.
There’s nothing wrong with planning ahead. It’s wise to save money, pay down debt, and act responsibly. Spiritual traditions have never encouraged being reckless. But they do raise a question that many of us would rather not face: What happens when the things we depend on begin to wobble?
The stock market can go up, but our anxiety can rise too. Retirement accounts can grow, and someone might still feel more afraid. Even a bigger paycheck can come with a stronger sense of insecurity. These are common but curious reactions. If money really brings security, why do so many people who have more than past generations still feel afraid?
Jesus spoke to this tension. When he tells people not to store up treasures on earth, he isn’t saying wealth is bad. He’s warning us not to get confused. He wants us to see that resources aren’t the same as real security.
Money can buy a home, but it cannot create sanctuary.
Money can purchase comfort, but it cannot produce peace.
Money can fund treatment, but it cannot prevent mortality.
Money can increase options, but it cannot tell us who we are.
Money can reduce certain risks, but it cannot remove uncertainty from human life.
Questions for Reflection:
- When you feel anxious about money, what are you most afraid of losing?
- What forms of security have proven most reliable in your own life during difficult seasons?
- If someone looked at your calendar, bank account, and daily habits, where would they conclude you have placed your trust?
Spiritual Practice-Taking Inventory
Today, spend fifteen minutes taking inventory of the forms of wealth that do not appear on a financial statement.
Make a list.
- Who are the people you can call when life falls apart?
- What communities would show up for you in a crisis?
- What skills have you developed that no market fluctuation can take away?
- What experiences have shaped your character?
- What relationships give your life meaning?
- What practices help you remain grounded when the world feels unstable?
When you finish, sit and review the list. Notice how many of the things that matter most cannot be bought, traded, inherited, or invested. Then offer a simple prayer of gratitude for these treasures.
The market may rise and fall. These are the forms of wealth that endure.