Sometimes one simple question can change the entire direction of your life. For me, that question was this:
“Are my investments aligned with my values—or are they fueling what I’m praying against?”
When I first wrestled with that question, it stopped me in my tracks. Until then, I had viewed investing as a numbers game—returns, performance, and growth. But suddenly, investing wasn’t just math; it was morality. It wasn’t just strategy; it was stewardship.
That one question changed the way I look at every dollar I manage. And I believe it can change your financial life too.
Why This Question Matters
Most Christians would say they want their lives to honor God. We want our words, actions, and relationships to reflect Him. But what about our money?
Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). That means our finances are not neutral—they reveal what we truly value.
The problem is that many Christians unknowingly invest in companies that profit from things completely opposed to biblical values: abortion, pornography, exploitation, addictions, or ideologies that tear down the family.
Without realizing it, their portfolios are funding what their prayers are fighting against.
That’s why the question matters. It forces us to hold up a mirror and ask: Does my money reflect rebellion—or redemption?
The Discomfort of Discovery
I’ll never forget sitting down with my own investment statements and running them through a screening tool for the first time. I expected maybe a few issues here and there. Instead, I was stunned.
Companies I was profiting from were directly tied to things I prayed against. It was sobering. It was also deeply convicting.
For a moment, I wanted to ignore it. After all, “everyone invests this way,” right? But the Spirit wouldn’t let me. I realized that my silence and inaction would make me complicit.
And that’s when the question came again, louder than before: Are my investments aligned with my values—or are they fueling what I’m praying against?
The Power of Alignment
When I began shifting my portfolio to align with biblical values, something unexpected happened: peace.
It wasn’t that performance suddenly skyrocketed (though, in many cases, values-based portfolios perform just as well or better). It was the peace of knowing that every dollar was now working for, not against, the kingdom of God.
That’s the power of alignment. When your money and your values line up, integrity replaces hypocrisy, and conviction replaces compromise.
It’s like a car out of alignment. You can keep driving it, but it pulls you off course, wears down the tires, and eventually costs you more. But once you align it, everything runs smoother and straighter. The same is true in finances. Alignment brings freedom.
A Biblical Example: Joshua’s Choice
When Israel entered the Promised Land, Joshua challenged the people with a question: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15).
It was a defining moment. Would they serve the false gods of the culture around them, or would they serve the Lord?
Our financial decisions are a modern echo of Joshua’s challenge. Every investment, every spending choice, every act of generosity declares who—or what—we are serving.
A True Story: The Couple Who Asked the Question
A couple I worked with had invested faithfully for years. They were generous givers, active in their church, and passionate about missions. But when I asked them the alignment question, they paused.
We ran their portfolio through a screening tool and discovered they were invested in companies profiting from abortion drugs and pornography. Tears filled their eyes.
“We had no idea,” the wife said quietly.
They decided to realign their portfolio with their values. Later, the husband told me, “For the first time in our lives, we feel like our money is on the same page as our prayers.”
That’s the freedom of alignment—the question that changed everything for them.
How to Ask the Question
If you want to experience that same freedom, here’s how to start:
- Screen Your Investments: Find out where your money is really going. (You might be surprised.)
- Pray for Conviction: Ask God to show you areas of compromise and give you courage to change.
- Make a Plan: Begin transitioning your portfolio toward biblically responsible investments.
- Stay Accountable: Revisit the question regularly—Are my investments aligned with my values?
This isn’t about guilt; it’s about growth. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress toward faithfulness.
Living in the Assurance of Alignment
Here’s the beautiful part: when your finances are aligned with your faith, you can live with assurance.
- You don’t have to wonder if your money is working against your prayers.
- You don’t have to carry the guilt of compromise.
- You can give, spend, and invest with confidence that you are stewarding resources in the name of Christ.
Paul wrote in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” That includes how we invest.
When you ask the question—and act on the answer—you begin to live with integrity in one of the most overlooked areas of discipleship: money.
What I Want You to Remember
- One simple question can change everything: Are my investments aligned with my values—or fueling what I’m praying against?
- Alignment between money and faith brings peace, integrity, and freedom.
- Joshua’s challenge still stands today: choose whom you will serve—even with your finances.
- Screening and aligning your portfolio is an act of worship, not just a financial decision.
The world wants us to believe money is neutral. But Scripture tells us it’s not. Every dollar is a vote. Every investment is a declaration.
The question is, who—or what—is your money serving?