This post was written by Linda Bustos is an editor for Creditor Web, where you can learn about debt forum.

The Bible gives wise advice that we should not go into debt. There aremany reasons for this – we end up paying back more than we borrowed, werisk not being able to repay, and in a way we become a slave to the onethat lent to us.

But is borrowing money always wrong? Of course there can be understandablereasons to go into debt – a mortgage, a student loan, a car loan – thedebt in itself is not the issue. It’s WHY we’re going into debt that isof concern.

Credit card debt is a growing problem in North America – even among thosewho truly love the Lord. The world presents many temptations to us andsometimes secured credit cards just make it easier for us to give in to thosetemptations because we don’t actually have to even have the cash availableto indulge.

Credit cards themselves are not evil. There are even responsible reasonsfor owning one:

Convenience. You don’t have to carry cash all the time (especially whentraveling). This can even be safer than carrying wads of cash with you.

Establish a credit history. Good credit card deals are a great way to build a goodtrack record of on-time payments. Just keep your spending within yourmeans and don’t carry a balance.-

Accessibility. Certain purchases can only be made with a credit card(for example, online or telephone purchases).

If you want to book a hotel or rent a car you need a credit card for adamage deposit.

But there are two general wrong reasons for Christians to use credit cards:

1. We are buying something we don’t need to make us feel better, orbecause we really, really desire that thing.

The Bible says walk by the spirit and you will not fulfill the desires ofthe flesh. It’s times when our eyes have shifted off the Lord that we’remore vulnerable to these temptations for things we don’t need. If we’renot being filled with God’s Word daily and communing with Him in ourhearts, we may give in and buy a piece of clothing to make us feel good oreven go out and buy a new car! These things are not wrong to do, but ifwe’re really not in a financial position to do so, we need to take a stepback, acknowledge that what we are doing is lawful for us, but notexpedient – and ask the Lord to renew our fire for Him and give us thestrength to be content with little and much.

2. We are in a cash crunch and we’re not trusting the Lord to provide for us.

How often we sell the One who owns the cattle on a thousand hills shortbecause we don’t need to rely on him to provide, we have a plastic safetynet. What great demonstrations of miraculous provision we miss out onbecause it’s so easy to swipe the stripe and worry about paying off thedebt gradually. The Lord loves to provide for us when we are most needyand call upon him for help. If you think that you have no choice but topay this month’s rent with the MasterCard, why not call upon the Masterand wait upon Him. If in prayer you sense He is leading you to use thecard, then by all means use it but don’t hastily rely upon your creditcard just because it’s there.

But I can’t stop spending!

Compulsive spending is bondage. But if you have received the Lord as yourpersonal savior, the Bible says that Christ died to give you liberty. Christian liberty means we have the freedom NOT to do something, not thatit’s actually a license to do whatever makes us feel good. This freedom isavailable to us even as we remain in the world.

The worst thing you can do is try to stop your spending in your ownstrength. You will be destined for failure. By faith we allow the HolySpirit to infuse us with self-control because it is Christ in you thatenables you to walk by the Spirit and not fulfill the desires of yourflesh. It’s not a beat-yourself-up-self-improvement program. It’s simplyan acknowledgement of your lack of ability to control your spending and amoment by moment exercise of this faith – which makes your faith strongerby continual use until you have complete victory over the thing thatentangles you. The battle may go on for days or weeks, but it’s thecontinual casting of our care upon the Lord and trust in His life in youthat brings us through.

The prayers of your brothers and sisters in Christ will bless you as youpersevere. Humbling yourself and confessing your struggles will move youtowards freedom and healing (James 5:16).
We’re not to judge our brothers and sisters who may use credit cards forlarge ticket items or other items that we might deem luxuries or downrightworldly – but we are to ask ourselves WHY we do what we do. Are welooking for instant gratification in material things? Are we using acredit card because we don’t believe that God can provide our needs whentimes are difficult? Are we putting our trust and security in plasticrather than God’s promises?We CAN use this world and not abuse it (1 Cor. 7:31), but it requires thatwe keep our eyes on the Lord. If you’re feeling condemned about the debtthat you owe currently, take your burden to the Lord and ask for wisdom –but be willing to follow through with what He asks of you – nothingwavering, because a double-minded man will not receive anything of theLord (James 1:5-8). As someone who eliminated $10,000 of debt in one year,I want to encourage you the Lord is faithful.