Sometimes our thinking falls into ruts when it comes to giving. We become so focused on our own perspective that we forget God is all about expanding our perception.
When it comes to giving there are so many questions but the truth is our thinking is all wrong. Instead of asking how much to give and when to give we need to look at generosity in a different way and this will enable us to live with a mentality of More than Enough.
Mine! Mine! Mine! Mine!
If you have ever seen the Disney movie Finding Nemo you will remember the greedy sea gulls which swirled around screaming “Mine! Mine! Mine!” As Christians it is so easy to fall into the rut of thinking “Mine! Mine! Mine!” about our money.
Avoiding the Rut:
1) Money is not ours. It is God’s and we need to remember this to avoid the Mine attitude.
2) Money is a very good indicator of where your heart is. If you ever wonder what is important to you, track your spending and you will find out.
3) When we give out of a relationship with Jesus Christ and not out of fear, we will loosen our grip on money.
Love Guaranteed
There is nothing we can do to guarantee God’s love for us. Giving more or less will not change God’s hopeless, passionate, inexplicable love for us. It is out of this love which we must give, not fear of God’s disfavour or refusal to bless us.
Avoiding the Rut:
1) Spend time with God. When you know His love you will not be afraid to give what he asks.
2) Remind yourself God’s love is not dependent on what you do or how you manage your money.
3) Remember: God asks us to bless others because we can have a life of abundance and freedom when we give. He is not trying to ‘take our money’ nor does He need it.
Open Hands, Free Lives
Ultimately, God wants our giving to be a reflection of our relationship with him. The reason we go into debt is because we are afraid. We are afraid of not having enough so we go into debt instead of trusting in God’s provision.
Avoiding the Rut:
1) God doesn’t want our stuff, neither does He need our money. Everything is His, what He wants is our heart.
2) Don’t be legalistic about giving. Keep your hands open so you can give and receive from God’s hand.
3) Ask God where to give, what to give and how much. The open conversation is more valuable than the check.
God cares about us, not our stuff and He wants us to be free to share our blessings with others. He is constantly working to reveal the hold material possessions have on our lives. Don’t be afraid to give and don’t be afraid of not having enough. God is for you, who can be against you?