Cheerful Giving

Author, Randy Alcorn says, “Gaze upon Christ long enough, and you’ll become more of a giver. Give long enough, and you’ll become more like Christ.”

I love that perspective of giving. Second Corinthians tells us that God loves a cheerful giver, but that wasn’t always me. It wasn’t until I developed the habit that I experienced the joy that God promised.

If you are not yet a cheerful giver, try tithing.  The tithe is a simply a testimony in recognition of God’s ownership. The amount you give isn’t important to God. He owns it all! The amount is important to us. Simply commit to a percentage and start with your local church.

Larry Burkett, the founder of Crown, sincerely believed giving was how God allowed us to share in His work.

To work with God, ask Him to give you a generous heart. Pray for eyes to see the needs around you. Give out of what you have and don’t worry about what others are giving or not giving. Just give out of obedience, even if you can’t see the big picture.

When you follow the Lord, you will avoid robbing yourself of the joy He wants you to experience. Plus, it will reap a great harvest when you trust Him to multiply it for His glory. I’ve met people who started giving 10% and were entrusted with the ability to give 90%.

Paul told Timothy to teach the rich – that is all of us – “to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so they could take hold of that which is truly life. (1 Timothy 6:18-19 ESV)

But sometimes debt can prevent us from giving. If you’re stuck in credit card debt, it’s time to get support. Our partners at Christian Credit Counselors are experts at helping people just like you pay off their credit cards. You’ll work with a real counselor and get started with a free debt analysis.