Third Quarter
A Biblical Mid-Year Financial Checkup
When I was on the track team, my event was the hurdles. I joke that it was pure fear of falling that kept me upright the whole season without tripping. Towards the end of the season, we had too many people out of commission to fill the roster for the 400-meter, and my coach asked me to fill in.
My usual hurdle event was just 100 meters, so the 400-meter would be four times the distance that I’d trained for.
I was nervous, but the coach said we needed a placeholder so not to worry that I hadn’t trained for this event. When the race started, I took off, probably faster than I should have, but as a sprinter, that was my training. As I started rounding between the 200- and 300-meter area, I felt myself slowing down. Then I heard a voice. “Go, Em, Go!”. I looked for my mom, who was standing and cheering at the 3rd-quarter spot. It was just the encouragement I needed to push through and finish in first place.
Afterward, my mom said she chose that spot because that’s where she struggled when she ran that event.
Why the Third Quarter is the Hardest Part of the Year
Every race has a point where adrenaline fades, and determination and discipline have to take over. The Christian life is no different. God never asks us to pretend we’ve run a perfect race. Instead, He continually calls us back to Himself. Financial stewardship works the same way. Whether you’ve stayed on track or wandered off course, today’s faithfulness matters more than yesterday’s mistakes.
It’s halfway through the year, which means you still have 6 months to tackle your goals for 2026. Even if you haven’t made progress towards them yet, you still have time to turn it around or get a head start for 2027.
We’re entering the third quarter of the year, which is the easiest spot to lose momentum. Without holiday or end-of-year pressure to finish strong, this place often gets overlooked as a powerhouse to do a financial review.
Maybe your budget has fallen apart, or an unexpected expense wiped out your emergency fund. Maybe you’ve neglected your savings or generosity goals. There are a lot of areas that you may find you’ve dropped the ball on. But it isn’t too late to make progress today.
The good news of the gospel is that God invites us to repentance, wisdom, and renewed faithfulness. Stewardship begins wherever you are today.
What the Bible Teaches About Faithfulness in the Middle
When Nehemiah was building the wall, he experienced his own version of the third-quarter fatigue. Rebuilding Jerusalem’s wall began with excitement and momentum, but halfway through the work, discouragement set in. The people grew tired as opposition increased, and the task ahead still seemed overwhelming. “Meanwhile, the people in Judah said, ‘The strength of the laborers is giving out, and there is so much rubble that we cannot rebuild the wall” Nehemiah 4:10.
Nehemiah didn’t respond by telling them to abandon the project or start over. He reminded them of the purpose behind their work, organized the next faithful steps, and encouraged them to keep building. The work moved forward through ordinary faithfulness, one stone at a time.
Our financial lives often follow the same pattern. The enthusiasm of a New Year’s budget can fade by midyear. Unexpected expenses, setbacks, or simple fatigue can leave us wondering if it’s worth continuing. But biblical stewardship means faithfully managing what God has entrusted to us today. Like the builders on Jerusalem’s wall, we don’t have to rebuild everything in a single day. We simply take the next faithful step, trusting God with the work still ahead.
Stewardship Is a Spiritual Discipline
“Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassion never fails. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
God extends His mercy each morning. In response, we can begin each day with renewed faithfulness in how we steward the resources He has entrusted to us.
Instead of treating budgeting as merely financial, frame it as worship.
Biblical Questions to Ask During Your Mid-Year Financial Review:
Does my spending reflect what I say I value?
Am I managing God’s resources or simply consuming them?
What does my bank statement reveal about my heart?
Jesus reminds us, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Our bank statements often reveal more than just spending habits; they also reveal our priorities. A mid-year review then presents an opportunity to check our hearts and how they are in line with God’s kingdom.
Five Mid-Year Financial Stewardship Checkpoints
Instead of reviewing “the budget,” review your stewardship.
1. Check Your Financial Scoreboard
To know where to go, you must first acknowledge where you are. How is your spending? Have you made progress towards your savings goal or debt paydown goal? Have you remained generous? Have you drifted from your financial priorities?
2. Remember God Owns Everything
Psalm 24:1 reminds us, “The earth is the Lord’s and everything in it.” Stewardship means managing your resources on behalf of someone else. Transitioning your mindset from ownership to management can help you shift some pressure surrounding your financial decisions.
3. Make Mid-Year Financial Adjustments
Focus on just one or two goals. It’s harder to make progress when you are split in a dozen directions.
Examples: increase retirement contributions by 1%. Refill your emergency fund. Automate generosity.
Small but intentional adjustments often produce the most significant results.
4. Prepare Now for Fourth Quarter Expenses
Make wise decisions ahead of time. Start saving up for back-to-school or the holidays so they don’t create extra budget stress. Make decisions about generosity in advance to avoid the end-of-year scramble.
5. Finish the Year Faithfully
Don’t get caught up in what you haven’t done yet. Faithfulness is measured by your willingness to honor God with the decisions you make today. Take steps to finish well.
Encouragement for the Financial “Third Quarter”
My mom didn’t wait until the finish line to cheer. She knew encouragement was needed long before the race was over.
Maybe that’s where you find yourself today. Somewhere in the difficult middle. If your finances haven’t gone the way you hoped this year, don’t let discouragement keep you from taking the next faithful step. God’s mercies are new every morning, and faithful stewardship always begins today.
Bible Verses for Reflection:
“Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed, for his compassion never fails. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1
“But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:20-21