Odd title, I know. Stealing seems like it should only be related to others, but there are certain types of theft we can engage in which could be considered stealing from ourselves.

Recently I was dealing with a friend who was having a major financial issue. He was in deep trouble due to a huge indiscretion – sin really. It was causing untold loss in his life and his marriage. He would have to rob his own stock portfolio account to survive, while that would only be a partial help. Robbing from a stock portfolio or Individual Retirement Account to pay off debt is theft from one’s future.

Here are a few more forms of theft from yourself:

• If you are not paying off your credit card charges in full monthly, you are robbing yourself by paying a high interest on balances with monthly payments (Proverbs 22:7).
• If you are not tithing or sowing financially into your local church, missionaries, and those in need, you are robbing yourself of God’s blessings (Malachi 3:8-11; Proverbs 19:17; II Corinthians 9:6-7).
• Not paying your taxes on time and accruing penalties and interest payments (Matthew 22:21).
• Not paying off your school loans in a timely manner.
• Purchasing only liabilities (things like excessive attire and stuff that turns to rust) and not saving toward purchasing items that grow in value (houses, land, rare metals, etc.) (Luke 16:13).
• Not paying your home mortgage down early, saving you interest in the back end.
• Not having an emergency savings account so you can borrow from yourself for an emergency purchase or a necessary item rather than using your credit cards.
• Not starting a retirement account and placing funds into it monthly.
• Unwisely using windfalls or inheritances to create further debt.
• Illegal drug use.
• Overindulging in alcohol (Proverbs 20:1; 23:20-21).
• Gambling and playing the lottery (Proverbs 13:11).
• Not giving your all to your employer. You are robbing yourself of possible promotion and unsolicited raises (Proverbs 18:19; Colossians 3:23).
• Chronic worry keeps us from trusting God and steals our joy (Philippians 4:6-7; Psalm 55:22; Matthew 6:34).

I am sure you can add to the list, but I hope you get the idea. We can rob ourselves and not even know we are doing it. Make God your source and Lord of all your funds and possessions. It’s all His anyway. Choose to be a good steward of what He gives you.

But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today. (Deuteronomy 8:18)