Managing God’s Provision: How to Steward the Income You Receive

Many people feel overwhelmed when they think about their finances. But here’s the truth: You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Financial stewardship begins with understanding where you stand today.

Whether your income is consistent or varies from month to month, learning to manage God’s provision is key to faithful stewardship. This week, we’ll walk through how to assess your financial position—starting with a clear picture of your income, fixed obligations, and what’s actually spendable.

Let’s take the first step in aligning your financial habits with God’s wisdom and purpose.

💡 This Week’s Focus: Understanding Your Spendable Income

Before making wise financial decisions, we must take inventory of our resources. The Bible consistently encourages us to be diligent and intentional in managing what we’ve been given. Financial stewardship begins with awareness—knowing what we have, where it’s going, and what we’re truly able to use.

Proverbs 27:23 (CSB): “Know well the condition of your flock, and pay attention to your herds.”

In biblical times, a person’s wealth was measured in flocks, herds, land, and crops. These resources needed constant monitoring, protection, and care. If a shepherd failed to observe the condition of their animals, they could lose their entire livelihood.

Today, the principle still applies—our “flocks” might look more like our salary, business income, retirement savings, or even digital assets. But the command remains: Pay attention.

We’re called to regularly examine our financial position—not with fear or shame, but with wisdom and intention.

The First Part Belongs to God
Before we can understand our spendable income, we must start with a foundational truth: everything we have comes from God. As stewards—not owners—we’re entrusted to manage His provision with faithfulness and integrity. That’s why the first portion of our income is not ours to spend or allocate. It belongs to the Lord.

📖 “Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed Me! But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’ In tithes and offerings.” — Malachi 3:8 (NKJV)

The tithe is not merely a religious tradition or an optional act of generosity—it is a biblical principle. By returning the first 10% of our income to God, we acknowledge His ownership, express our gratitude, and invite His blessing over the remainder.

Tithing is an act of trust. It realigns our hearts away from self-reliance and reminds us that God is our true Provider. It also sets the tone for how we manage the rest of our income—with intention and purpose.

Then We Account for Taxes
After setting aside the tithe, we also need to account for taxes—our obligation to governing authorities. Scripture instructs us to honor those responsibilities with integrity.

📖 “Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor.” — Romans 13:7 (NKJV)

Whether taxes are withheld from your paycheck or need to be saved manually, they reduce what’s truly available for your day-to-day use. As responsible stewards, we honor both God and the systems He’s allowed to be in place.

What’s Left Is Your Spendable Income
Once the tithe is returned and taxes are accounted for, we are left with what we’ll call our spendable income—the portion we are responsible for managing. This is what’s available for your day-to-day expenses, debt obligations, saving, giving beyond the tithe, and future planning.

👉 You can’t set wise financial goals, create a realistic budget, or steward God’s resources well if you don’t know how much you actually have available.

This step—recognizing God’s portion first, honoring your tax responsibilities, and then identifying what remains—helps you approach the rest of your finances with clarity and conviction.

Identify Your Sources of Income
Before calculating your spendable income, you must first understand where your income is coming from.

Common sources to consider:
• Wages & salaries (before deductions)
• Self-employment or business income
• Investment income (dividends, rental income, interest, royalties)
• Social Security or pensions
• Side hustles or gig work

Action Step: 
Write down all your monthly income sources before taxes and deductions. This gross income becomes the foundation for everything else.

Calculate Your Tithe on the Gross
A common question believers ask is: Should I tithe on my gross or net income? Christian author Randy Alcorn reframes the question: “Do we want God to bless our gross or our net?”

Tithing from the gross reflects your commitment to honor God first—before taxes, bills, or other obligations.

Formula: Gross Income × 10% = Tithe

Tithing is a step of faith and a form of worship. When we honor God first, we align our hearts and finances with His kingdom.

Estimate Your Taxes (Self-Employed Individuals)
If you're self-employed, taxes aren't withheld—you must plan ahead and set those funds aside.

Guidelines to estimate:
• Federal & state income tax: 20–30%
• Self-employment tax (Social Security & Medicare): 15.3%
• Total estimate: 25–35% of gross income

Formula:
Gross Income × Estimated Tax Rate = Taxes to Set Aside

👉 Pro Tip: Keep this money in a separate bank account so you don’t spend it and aren’t caught off guard when tax payments are due.

🙌 Why This Matters in Everyday Life 
Knowing your spendable income helps you:
• Give first – Honoring God with your firstfruits
• Plan ahead – Avoiding tax surprises
• Steward wisely – Making intentional financial choices

When you know what you truly have, you can move from financial confusion to clarity.

🎯 Weekly Challenge
This week, take one step toward financial clarity:
• List all your income sources
• Calculate your tithe on the gross
• Set up a separate bank account for taxes (if self-employed)

📖 Reflection Questions 
• Am I honoring God first with my income?
• Have I calculated my true spendable income?
• If self-employed, am I saving enough for taxes?

📢 What’s Coming Next:
Next week, we’ll explore how to track your spending so you can see exactly where your money is going.

💬 What was your biggest takeaway from this week’s topic? Reply and share your thoughts—I’d love to hear from you.

Blessings and financial peace to you!

Sigrid Wardlaw
Wardlaw CPA | Helping clients steward finances with wisdom
📧 [email protected]| 🌐 www.wardlawcpa.com