The end of the year is about shaking off the old, stale things from the previous twelve months and looking ahead to the future. We may have experienced success as well as setbacks, but we now face an opportunity to start all over and forget any financial disasters from before. Some of the things we did, including how we handled money, may not have worked. On the other hand, a new beginning also means leaving our past behind, even if it was successful, and reaching forward for even greater successes.

Our attitude influences how we think about the coming year; it’s the classic “glass half-empty” versus “glass half-full” mindset. The desire to want to move on from a painful financial loss may be obvious, but we must resist the temptation to live in the past even if it involved a financial success. The past should remain in the past; depending on God to guide our thinking in this area makes it less painful to let go of. “But I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13, NLT).

Living in a financially shaky economy that threatens to topple over at any time is scary for those who handle their money without divine assistance. Thankfully, the believer isn’t in this category. Choosing to let God guide all our financial decisions keeps us safe from ruin. “But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day” (Deuteronomy 8:18).

Jesus predicted that in the end times, people’s love for God would grow cold and be replaced with the love of money; this is happening right now. In the future, the trend will continue, and things will get worse—but not for those who depend on God as their source. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:5, 6). Without spiritual vision, it’s impossible to make wise financial decisions; trusting in Him gives us the wisdom to find success and prosperity in this area.

Our external environment is fueled by greed and avarice. The prevailing “get rich quick” mindset is all about taking shortcuts to wealth and trusting in our own resources. The danger here is that we can fall into a pit when our money disappears. Trusting in God, not in money, ensures that we’ll always have plenty. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

It's okay to have money, as long as we handle it properly and don’t let it confuse our priorities. Even Jesus Himself had money. As a child, He received expensive gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh; during His ministry, He acquired so much wealth that He needed a treasurer to handle His money bag; at His crucifixion, the soldiers gambled for His expensive clothes. However, He has a warning for us: “Then he said to them, ‘Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions’” (Luke 12:15, NIV).

No one is perfect, and we’re bound to make mistakes in the future. Trusting God to watch over our financial resources keeps them safe. In a world obsessed with money, this is our winning strategy.