Are the Debt Stories You’ve Been Told Actually True?

Have you ever heard a money phrase so many times it stopped sounding like an opinion and started sounding like prophecy? Like this one. Everybody has debt. Or maybe this one, you'll always live with it. Or maybe you've heard this one. That's just how life works.And you're sitting there thinking, is that really my future? Is that what my kids will inherit from me? Is this just life? Friend, today isn't about pressure. It's about truth.Because some of the heaviest chains aren't on your credit report. They're in your head. Hey, friend. Ralph Estep Jr. Here.Welcome to Financially Confident Christian, where we're learning how to walk through life and money with wisdom, with peace, and with a heart anchored in God's truth. My mission is simple. To help you break that cycle of financial shame and build those steady habits that are rooted in faith.And to truly become the kind of believer who handles money with clarity, with confidence, and with spiritual purpose. Yesterday we talked about why debt can feel like a prison, not just financially, but emotionally and and spiritually.And today we're going to go one level deeper.Because a lot of people don't stay stuck in debt because they're lazy, they say, stuck because they accepted a story that quietly killed their hope not to shame you, to set you free. A listener asked me this. Ralph, I hear people say debt is just part of life, that freedom is unrealistic. Is it wrong to want more than survival?Ralph? And I just want to say, first off, no, it's not wrong. That desire for freedom, that's not naive. That's God given.Because underneath that question is this. I don't want to hope and then get disappointed. I don't want to fight in a battle I can't win.I'm tired of feeling foolish for wanting something better. Friend. Wanting freedom isn't foolish. But believing lies, even the popular lies, can quietly steal your peace. Here's what I've learned over and over.People don't just move because of what they earn. They move because of what they believe is possible. If you believe debt is permanent, guess what you're going to do?You're going to stop planning, you're going to stop trying, and you're going to stop expecting anything to change. But when you truly believe that freedom is possible, even if it's slow, you take that next step that beliefs shape direction.And I've watched people stay stuck not because they lacked ability, but because they accepted the ideas that they were never true to begin with. And when those myths were gently challenged, hey, sometimes abruptly Challenged, hope returned, motivation followed, and progress became possible.I'll never forget working with the woman who told me, ralph, I'm going to always have debt. Everyone knows. So we sat down. We didn't do anything dramatic. We didn't do any hype. No miracle. Just clarity and truth.And we walked through her numbers together. Yeah, we found some leaks, and we built a simple plan. A few months later, she said something I will never forget.I didn't realize I stopped believing, Ralph, that freedom was possible, friend. That belief was heavier than that debt itself. So here's today's general question.What if some of the debt you're carrying is being reinforced by the stories you inherited that were never true from the beginning? Let's take a look at a few with grace. Here's myth number one. Debt is normal. I hear this constantly.Yes, debt may be common, but common doesn't mean healthy, and it doesn't mean God's design. Hey, a lot of people are overweight. That doesn't mean they're healthy. It's a common thing. A lot of things are normal. They still harm people.The truth is, God invites you to wisdom, not to crowd behavior. A lot of people think, oh, well, everybody's doing it. I got to do that. So stop saying normal and start saying, I'm changing the pattern.I'm setting a new normal. Here's myth number two. I will always have debt. Another one I hear constantly. And here's the thing.This one sounds protective, like, if I don't hope, I can't hurt myself. But that belief is paralyzing, because if you believe you'll always have it, then why budget? Why plan? Why fight?The truth is, freedom is often built one boring step at a time. It's some bores from there. So don't focus on always. Just focus on. Next, here's myth number three. I can't get ahead without debt.And I hear this one all the time. And this one feels somewhat practical, but it often confuses speed with progress. Yes, debt can make something faster without making it better.Here's the truth. Patience builds peace. Now, a lot of people don't want to take the time for patience, but it does build peace. So before you borrow, ask this question.Is this solving a problem or feeding a feeling? That one hurts. But ask yourself, is this solving a problem or feeding a feeling? And here's truth. Myth number four buys break one at a time.Freedom doesn't start with a perfect plan. It starts with renewed thinking. One lie replaced with one truth changes your entire direction. And that Direction over time changes everything.Jesus says it plainly in John 8:32. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Truth doesn't shame you. Truth liberates you.And God's truth always leads towards freedom. Lord, thank you for truth that breaks those quiet chains.Gently expose the lies we believed about money and about ourselves and replace them with your word, with your wisdom and your hope. Lead us into freedom. One step at a time. And we ask this in Jesus name, Amen. Okay, here's today's step.I want you to write down one debt belief that you've accepted as fact. And then I want you to write a new line under it I want you to write but God's truth says this.And if you want a simple anchor, right John 8:32 besides it because truth grows when it's named friend. A lot of people discover they're not stuck financially, they're stuck mentally and inside the financially confident Christian community.People often say, I didn't realize how much relief came from just telling the truth. Our community is a safe place. It's a grace filled place and it's a place where lies lose their power. And I'm going to encourage you to go there.Now go to financiallyconfidentchristian.com/join. That's financiallyconfidentchristian.com/Join. You're always welcome to come and join us. And let me leave you with this.You don't have to believe every story you've been told. God's truth is stronger, freedom is possible, and this journey is already underway for you.And tomorrow we're going to talk about what to do when motivation fades and you're tempted to quit. So don't forget to come to tomorrow's show and today, go out there and be a financially confident Christian. You can do this.Stay financially savvy, God bless you and I'll see you on tomorrow's show.