Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. ~2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV)
Have you ever seen two children being told to share and it just seems like it takes everything they have to let go? It makes you wonder if that is how we look to God sometimes. Why do we hold on so tightly to our “things”? In many cases it is fear-based thinking. We fear we aren’t going to have enough. We fear lack. The word poverty doesn’t just encompass financial resources. It could mean lack in any area of life. Fear takes up our mind and it takes up our time and when we allow ourselves to be dominated by our fears we do not move forward with God. The best way to get past our fear of impoverishment is to trust God as our source. We need King David’s attitude who said in Psalms 54:4 “Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.” (NIV) When you have an attitude like that, what is a setback, bad investment or broke down car? You have God on your side. Whatever comes your way has sifted through His sovereignty and whether it appears to be bad or good makes no difference because you don’t believe what you see. You believe the promises of God found in the Word of God. You know He will sustain you no matter what happens in life because His banner or proclamation over you is love. If you find yourself holding back from giving of your time and resources to areas of need that have been revealed to you, do a heart check. Are you holding back because you feel like giving will create a loss in your life? Do you not believe you have enough to give? Those doubts stem from fear. Start out small but start somewhere. Giving is habitual and as our fear of lack and loss decreases our faith in God’s ability to sustain us increases. We aren’t born extravagant givers; we learn to become extravagant givers.
Extravagant givers are cheerful givers and God said in His word that He loves a cheerful giver! Do you give cheerfully or reluctantly? Depends on the size of the gift, right? When you try to give above your ability to stay cheerful about it, then you have gone too far. God is able to get resources where He needs to so don’t feel like you are His only financier. Let your generosity spring from a heart full of love and compassion, not compulsion. Take the pressure off and look for meaningful ways to help and share. Little by little is the best way to increase. God tells us in Proverbs 13:11 “whoever gathers little by little will increase it.” (ESV) The same is true for our capacity to give. When we give little by little our desire to increase our giving grows. We are told in John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave…” (NIV) God gave out of love. He is our great example. He doesn’t need our money; He wants our hearts. He wants us to be like Him, with a heart full of love and ready to give without reluctance. The truth is you will never out give God and He promises what you do for others will come back to you over and over again. We don’t have to fear loss or lack when we are confident that God is our source. He promises to enrich us in every way so that we can be generous on every occasion. Believe Him and then go be like Him. Your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God!
Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. ~2 Corinthians 9:8-11 (NIV)
What could you give today that you could be joyful about?
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