How Much Money is Really Enough?

When it comes to talking about money, everyone has something to say. You may love it or hate it—but we all need it. I’m not sure how qualified I am to talk about it, but here are my two cents before we look at what the Bible actually says.

I’m one of the few weirdos who actually loves talking about money. I think it’s fascinating because money can be used to bless others or hurt others. It can create freedom, or it can hold you like a chain. Money itself isn’t necessarily good or bad—it depends on who uses it and how.

One of my favorite books on money is The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. One chapter that really stuck with me is called “Never Enough.” Housel tells the story of Rajat Gupta, a highly successful businessman who was already worth around $100 million. But he wanted more. He eventually became involved in insider trading, was caught, and went to prison.

Gupta had more money than most of us could ever imagine, yet it still wasn’t enough. Housel writes, “It gets dangerous when the taste of having more—more money, more power, more prestige—increases ambition faster than satisfaction.” [1]

Most of us don’t have $100 million sitting around, so what does this have to do with us?

When More Is Never Enough

A few years ago, money became a major priority in my own life. I was taking online
college courses, working a full-time job, and DoorDashing in the evenings. At one point, I was working 65–70 hours a week. I did this for almost a year, spending very little time with friends or at church, and honestly, I was miserable.

Eventually, I realized that I wasn’t doing all of this because I needed to survive. I was doing it because I worried about the future and wanted to control it. There’s nothing wrong with working hard or providing for yourself, but my entire life had started revolving around making money. God forced me to stop and ask why I was willing to put relationships and everything else aside just to have more.

Ecclesiastes 5:10 says,

Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves
wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless.

The problem isn’t money itself. The problem is that we are so easily convinced that more will finally make us satisfied.

I still struggle with this. I’m young and have been fortunate to build a solid financial foundation. I save, invest, contribute to retirement, and try to make wise decisions with my money. By most measures, I’ll probably be just fine. But I still worry. What if the market crashes? What if I can’t afford a house? What if I don’t have enough?

Learning to Trust God With What We Have

Not long ago, I started giving to my church. For a long time, I told God I wasn’t ready. Eventually, I realized that giving was one way I could let go of some of my need for control and trust Him with my money.

My “numbers brain” immediately wants to calculate what that money could become if I invested it instead. But giving has taught me something that a spreadsheet never could: I don’t have to control every dollar to be financially secure. I can trust God with what He has given me.

Ecclesiastes 5:19 gives us an important balance:

Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God.

God isn’t angry with us for having money or possessions. He gives us the ability to
enjoy what He provides. The goal isn’t to feel guilty for having wealth, nor is it to chase wealth endlessly. It’s to steward what God has given us, enjoy His blessings, and make sure our pursuit of money never becomes more important than the life God has called us to live.

So, How Much Is Enough?

So how much money is really enough? Maybe the better question is: Can I trust God with what I have, even when I want more?

We’re all in different financial situations. For me, learning to give was one step toward trusting God instead of trying to control my future. For you, it might look different. Maybe it’s helping a friend who’s struggling, being generous with a neighbor, or learning to be grateful for what you already have.

Whatever it looks like, let it be a reminder that everything we have ultimately comes from God and that He is enough, even when our bank account never feels like it is.

[1] Morgan Housel, The Psychology of Money, 41.