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Have you ever caught yourself opening your investment app for the third time in one week… heart beating a little faster… wondering if you’re being a responsible steward or just feeding worry You’re not alone.

Today on Stewardology we’re not just talking about numbers, rebalancing, or the “right” frequency. We’re talking about the heart posture behind how we handle the resources God has entrusted to us.

Because the real question is why you’re looking… and whether those reviews are drawing you into greater trust in the Owner of it all… or quietly pulling you into self-reliance and anxiety.

Stay with us. By the end of this episode you may see your next portfolio review in a completely different light.

 

God Owns It All. We Are Stewards, Not Owners

Investments aren’t “your” money to ignore or obsess over. They’re resources entrusted by God for His purposes… provision, generosity, and kingdom impact.

Psalm 24:1 (NIV): “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” (See also Haggai 2:8: “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,” declares the Lord Almighty.)

Principle: Faithful stewardship requires awareness and accountability, not hands-off neglect or fearful micromanagement.

  • There’s a balance between investing and knowing everything you’re doing, tracking it all the time… versus delegating the authority and letting someone else handle the responsibility (a financial advisor, mutual fund manager/company, etc.).
  • What we’re trying to do in this episode is to say that you need to be both aware of what’s going on and keep your hands off the steering wheel at the same time.

 

Investing Principles

  1. Investing involves risk, which means good, prudent investment strategies will at times look like they are failing. Market conditions will, at times, go against the “best” investment strategies.
  2. Avoid the tendency to step in and disrupt a good, long-term strategy because of poor short-term performance.
  3. Likewise, we should also not judge an investment’s merits based upon a short period of time.
  4. Our high recommendation is for you to consider working with a trusted professional to help you manage emotional investing, whipsaw risk, and other elements that would cause you to make poor investing decisions based on emotions, fears, greed, etc.

 

Principles for Reviewing Your Investments

  1. Your investment return is a function of what you invest in. In order to understand your returns, you need to understand what kinds of companies or products you are using. For example, if you invest in the S&P 500, you should expect S&P 500 returns. Real Estate is going to behave differently than equities. Bonds, likewise, will have a different risk/return profile.
  2. Don’t play the comparison game. Don’t compare apples and oranges. If you are invested in a well-diversified portfolio, you shouldn’t expect the same returns as an S&P 500 index fund, simply because your investment strategy is a bit different. This may be to manage risk or other elements that you need to pay attention to.
  3. Look for oddities… things that don’t seem to make sense with the rest of the market. If you don’t know what to look for, this is where hiring a trained professional would be incredibly valuable, and money well spent.
  4. Risk & Diversification. You started out using just one fund because you only had $1,000 to invest. But now, years later, it has grown to $100,000 and it is all still in one fund. This is a great example of something to look for so that we can diversify the portfolio and manage risk.
  5. Tax Considerations. If you have non-retirement money in a joint or non-retirement account, how are you dealing with capital gains exposure? Consider moving towards ETFs as opposed to mutual funds in order to avoid future capital gain distributions from mutual funds.
  6. How Often Should You Review Your Investments?
    • Tim (Personal): I look at my investments monthly as part of my budget process, as I consider the balance sheets and other financials. But it’s not an in-depth analysis of the investments. 1x/year, I do a financial review for my sake and for the sake of my wife, and I will consider my investments. Are they where I want them to be, doing what I want them to do? Am I positioned for the current market? I will make changes usually about once a year (usually around the first quarter of the new year).
    • Tim (Advisor): Strategy: If they are in a model, that model is being looked at on a regular basis, and changes are being made to the model as needed (but usually at least once per year). If assets are NOT in a strategy, we are looking at them at least annually. I look at the risk, diversification, performance, taxes, etc.
      • Bottom line: If you are working with a financial professional, you should be meeting with them annually (at least), depending on the size and complexity of your portfolio. You may need to meet with your advisor 2, 3, or 4 times a year.

 

Recommended Review Cadence (Practical Balance)

  • Quarterly check-ins (or every 3–6 months): Quick look at performance, allocation drift, and major changes. Rebalance as needed.
  • Annual deep review: Align with life goals, risk tolerance, tax situation, and big-picture stewardship (e.g., generosity capacity, retirement, family provision). Many advisors suggest this as a baseline.
  • Event-driven reviews: Major life changes (marriage, kids, job loss, inheritance, health issues, nearing retirement) or significant market events warrant immediate attention.
  • Avoid daily/weekly checks. It often leads to emotional, reactive decisions rather than disciplined stewardship.

Integrated Scripture: Galatians 6:9 (NIV): “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

 

How Often Is Too Often to Review Your Investments?

  • If you have a good long-term strategy, you don’t need to micromanage it. You need to let the strategy work!
  • You’ve heard the term “A watched pot never boils.” This statement points to the reality that the more interventionist we get with our investments, the less likely they are to work, because we don’t give them the time they need to work out the plan.
  • Don’t be making changes every month, or even every year. It is wise and prudent to take a look at the indicators we mentioned in this episode. But don’t base your long-term strategy off of short-term performance.

 

Stewardship Review Checklist: What to Review

  • Performance vs. goals: Are you on track for biblical priorities (providing for family — 1 Timothy 5:8; generosity — 2 Corinthians 9:6-7)?
  • Risk and diversification: (See Ecclesiastes 11:2 above)
  • Alignment with values: Are investments honoring God (avoiding greed — 1 Timothy 6:10; supporting kingdom work)?
  • Costs, taxes, and fees: Minimize waste.
  • Heart check: Where is your treasure (and trust)? Matthew 6:21 (ESV) — “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Review should increase contentment and generosity, not covetousness.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

  • Neglect: Leads to lost opportunities or misalignment (like the unfaithful servant in the Parable of the Talents — Matthew 25:14-30).
  • Over-monitoring: Fueled by fear, not faith. Markets fluctuate; long-term perspective wins.
  • Chasing returns or trends: Speculation vs. prudent growth.
  • Principle: Seek counsel. Proverbs 15:22 (ESV) — “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” Work with trusted advisors who share your biblical worldview.

 

Application:

For most people, once per year is sufficient to review your investments in depth.

Diligence and Wisdom Require Regular Attention (Not Obsession)

The Bible praises the diligent who plan and monitor, contrasting them with the hasty or lazy. Ignoring your portfolio risks waste or misalignment; constant checking fuels anxiety and poor decisions.

  • Proverbs 21:5 (ESV): “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”
  • Proverbs 27:23-24 (NIV): “Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds; for riches do not endure forever…”
  • Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30): The faithful servants actively managed what was entrusted to them and were rewarded; the lazy one was rebuked.

Key Principle: Review with purpose and peace, trusting God while doing your part. Your diligence honors the Master.

God is sovereign over markets and provision (Matthew 6:25-34). Wise reviews demonstrate faithfulness, not lack of trust.

 

 

Next Steps

 

Material presented is property of The Stewardology Podcast, a ministry of Life Financial Group and Life Institute. You may not copy, reproduce, modify, create derivative works, or exploit any content without the expressed written permission of The Stewardology Podcast. For more information, contact us at Contact@StewardologyPodcast.com or (800) 688-5800.

The topics discussed in this podcast are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific investment advice or recommendations.  Investing and investment strategies involve risk including the potential loss of principal. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

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