Holy and Broke: The Worst Thing That Can Happen to Any Man

If we’re honest, many of us have found ourselves in a familiar place: we pray for hours, fast, cry out to God, speak in tongues, kabash. Yet sometimes, we pray without corresponding action.

Hear me clearly: you have no business praying for 10 hours if you are unwilling to learn, work, plan, and act. Prayer is powerful—but prayer without obedience to God’s principles produces frustration.

Scripture makes this clear: The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty. — Proverbs 21:5

God never separated spirituality from responsibility. And that brings us to a difficult but necessary statement: having wealth and not knowing God can be detrimental—but what may be worse is being holy and broke. Let me say that in another way: being rich without God can corrupt your soul, but being devoted to God while lacking provision can strain your body, your family, and even your calling.

I will say it one more time, and I hope you catch it—rich without God is bad, but holy and broke? That’s worse.

God Never Intended Holiness to Mean Lack

Have you met people who say things like, “As long as I have Jesus, money doesn’t matter,” or “God just wants me to be holy”? I’m sure you have, and you may have done the same—or even still be doing it. While that sounds spiritual, it’s incomplete and God does not glorify poverty; He warns against it. See what the Bible says in Proverbs 13:18

Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects instruction, but he who regards reproof will be honored. — Proverbs 13:18

Lesson: Poverty is not praised here. It is presented as a consequence, not the result for holiness

Spiritual Passion Without Stewardship Leads to Suffering

If we’re honest, many of us are spiritually proactive but financially passive. We worship passionately, yet hesitate to contend for growth, skills, opportunity, and increase. The Bible never teaches passivity. Here’s what Proverbs 6:6 says: Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise.

What does the ant do?

The ant plans.

The ant stores.

The ant prepares.

God is teaching us that diligence is spiritual and should be part of our lives. Remember money without God is dangerous—but holiness without provision is exhausting.

The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it.— Proverbs 10:22

Lesson: God’s blessing includes provision and it is meant to bring peace, not constant strain.

Knowing God Without Provision Was Never the Plan

Godless wealth is risky, but godly poverty is not noble—it is limiting. Even God through his wisdom tell us that having generational wealth is what good people do. We can see that in Proverbs 13:22

A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children. — Proverbs 13:22

Inheritance requires resources, and legacy requires abundance. You cannot fund missions, help the poor, support the church, fend for yourself or your family or build institutions if you are always struggling to survive. I truly believe that gold without God corrupts—but holiness without bread crushes. Would you rather be wealthy and have people who you can bless for working for you than having to borrow? The Bible gives us a clear scenario of what it is like to be rich and to be poor in Proverbs 22:7:

The rich rules over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.— Proverbs 22:7

Lesson: God is warning us about dependence and asking us to seek freedom.

Balance Is the Will of God

Wealth without God deceives, but holiness without provision drains. God never asked us to choose between righteousness and resources. He intended us to walk in both.

Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce; then your barns will be filled with plenty.— Proverbs 3:9–10

This is Scripture—not ambition. While Riches without God is risky. Living a Holy Life and remaining broke or living in poverty is tragic.

I know you may be having conflicting thoughts about what you have just read and you’re maybe thinking “money is the root of all evil” but that is not what the Bible said. Let’s look at 1st Timothy 6:10

For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (NKJV) - 1 Timothy 6:10

So my friend I agree with you that money without God can ruin us, but holiness without resources can limit what God wants to do through us. God’s will is not only that we make heaven—it’s that we live wisely on earth with abundance.

Wisdom gives life to those who have it.— Proverbs 4:22

And biblical wisdom produces fruit—spiritual and material. So let us be holy, but let us also be diligent. Let us pray deeply and plan wisely. Let us love God fully and work faithfully, because the goal is not riches without God, it is God-backed abundance.

And that balance, my friends, is the will of God.

If this challenged you, don’t scroll past it. Pray, plan, and take one intentional step toward God-backed abundance today. Let’s grow together—share this with someone who needs the reminder that faith and diligence belong together.