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We’re continually tempted to want more, upgrade faster, and pursue the next big purchase—but what if all this activity actually costs us our freedom? On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West and Bob Lotich explain why wanting less may be one of the most powerful financial decisions you can make. Discover how making this shift can reshape your life. Then, it’s on to your calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial decisions. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.

To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.

To learn more about Rob West, click here.

To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greek philosopher Epictetus once said, “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” That insight may be more relevant today than ever.

We live in a world constantly urging us to want more, upgrade more, and pursue more. But what if that endless pursuit is costing us something far more valuable than money? What if wanting less is one of the most powerful financial decisions we can make?

On today’s episode of Faith & Finance, financial coach and author Bob Lotich joined the show to discuss why contentment creates freedom—and how learning to want less can reshape our financial lives.

Most people make spending decisions by asking one question: Can I afford this?

That’s not a bad question—but it may not be the best one. Bob suggested a deeper question: Can I afford to want this?

That shift matters because some things we own eventually begin to own us. A purchase may fit the budget, but still bring new pressures, obligations, and distractions. The issue isn’t always the price tag—it’s the grip that desire can have on our hearts.

Bob shared the story of Roman general Manius Curius Dentatus. When enemies attempted to bribe him with gold and expensive gifts, they found him roasting turnips for dinner. Seeing his simple lifestyle, they realized a man content with so little could not be bought.

The lesson is timeless: contentment removes leverage.

When we need less, we are less vulnerable to manipulation, fear, and compromise. The fewer things we depend on for identity or security, the freer we become.

Every unchecked desire can create a new chain. A larger lifestyle often requires a larger paycheck. More possessions usually mean more maintenance, more bills, and more commitments. Debt can magnify that burden even further.

Scripture warns, “The borrower is slave to the lender” (Proverbs 22:7). While that may not mean literal slavery today, the principle still stands: financial obligations can reduce flexibility and limit our ability to respond when God leads us in a new direction.

Bob shared the story of someone who sensed a clear call into ministry but couldn’t accept the opportunity because debt payments made the lower salary impossible. That’s more than a budgeting issue—it’s a discipleship issue.

Jesus said, “You cannot serve God and money” (Matthew 6:24).

That warning is not only about greed. It is also about control. Financial obligations demand time, energy, and attention. When too many of them pile up, they begin directing our choices. As Bob put it, sometimes our possessions end up possessing us.

The Gospels give us two striking examples.

The rich young ruler walked away from Jesus because he could not release his wealth (Mark 10:17–22).

Zacchaeus, on the other hand, responded to an encounter with Jesus by joyfully giving away half of his possessions and making restitution to those he had wronged (Luke 19:1–10).

The difference wasn’t the amount of money involved. It was the hold that money had on their hearts.

The Apostle Paul wrote:

“I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

Paul had experienced abundance and need. Yet his joy wasn’t tied to either one.

That kind of contentment is true freedom. It means we can live faithfully in seasons of plenty or scarcity because our confidence rests in God, not in circumstances.

Wanting more often begins with comparing more.

Social media can intensify this struggle by putting everyone else’s highlight reel in front of us every day. It becomes easy to feel behind, dissatisfied, or pressured to keep up.

One practica

More than 80% of Generation Z kids say they’re stressed out. 4 out of 5. 1 in 3 adults lose sleep over their finances. And nearly three quarters fear the future. Is that the way God wants us to live? Today on A NEW BEGINNING, Pastor Greg Laurie brings us a biblical antidote for the anxiety that grips our hearts. We’ll follow the example of a reluctant warrior in the Old Testament and see how the same God that gave him courage can give us courage.

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Marriage didn’t get easier when the kids came; it got louder, tighter, and easier to miss each other. Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler, authors of Risen Motherhood: Gospel Hope for Everyday Moments, meet you there in survival-mode advice with honest, lived-in perspective. From overstimulation to quiet resentment, they name what’s real—and point toward a better way to stay on the same team when connection feels out of reach.

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Conflict in marriage can often feel like an all-consuming and explosive cycle that eats away at peace. It’s essential to acknowledge past experiences that contribute to these negative cycles. Ron (a licensed marriage and family therapist) and his wife Nan describe how self-regulation and retraining the brain's triggers can help bring restoration and healing in a marriage. The couple shares their own journey through the tragic loss of their young son and how these principles impacted that difficult process.

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Billy Graham once said that a checkbook is a theological document; it tells you who and what you worship. Each day, we make financial decisions—often without much thought. It is wise, however, to slow down and look deeper because how we spend may reveal more about our hearts than we realize. On the next Faith & Finance Live, Rob West explores how our typical purchases reflect what we truly value. Then, it’s on to calls. That’s Faith and Finance Live . . . biblical wisdom for your financial journey. That’s weekdays at 4pm Eastern/3pm Central on Moody Radio.

Faith & Finance Live is a listener supported program on Moody Radio. To join our team of supporters, click here.

To support the ministry of FaithFi, click here.

To learn more about Rob West, click here.

To learn more about Faith & Finance Live, click here.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.