This is the time of year where many of us think about money or our finances. It’s the holidays, and they often come with gift-giving, travel, and entertaining. It can be very stressful, especially if you’re already stretched financially. Philippians 4:19 gives us a promise from the Father. It tells us that He will supply every need of ours according to His riches in glory in the Lord Jesus Christ. This beautiful truth should take the focus off our circumstances or limited resources and place it squarely on the richness of God’s grace. During this season of giving, we should be especially thankful for God’s provision through Christ, but instead, many of us become consumed with worry. This creates doubt in our hearts and minds, and ultimately it clogs our gratitude. Here are a few heart-expanding insights that will unclog the pipeline.
Give According to God’s Guidance
The New Testament Book of Hebrews, chapter 13, reminds us that this world is not our permanent home, and we should be looking forward to the home that is to come. The way to keep our minds anchored in who we are, whose we are, and where we’re headed is to praise God continually; and to proclaim our allegiance to Him through Christ. We can be such creatures of habit, and often we try to accommodate the many demands on our resources. So much so that sometimes we deny the commitment we’ve made as Christians to be committed to God by seeking His Kingdom and righteousness first.
We have in our minds already who we will bless and buy gifts for, and we leave little room for the Holy Spirit to steer us. Hebrews 13:16(NLT) tells us, “And don’t forget to do good and to share with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.” You might say to yourself, “How does God expect me to give what I don’t have? I’m already stretched to the limit!” Many of us have made a habit of sacrificing for those we choose, rather than making sacrifices that please God. We buy for those who really don’t have great need, and we have nothing leftover to offer those who could use our help the most. We don’t sow where the Lord leads.
Our goal should be to offer sacrifices that please God. He knows our circumstances, and He is fully aware of what we can and can’t do. He is looking for our humility to move and give as He desires. We should be listening to His directions and seeking His guidance because He knows how to maximize what we have. Therefore, we shouldn’t be leaning on our own understanding, but allowing Him to direct our paths, especially when it comes to giving and finances.
Remember that everything we own comes from Him
In Luke 6:33(NLT), Jesus Christ said, “And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.” Our Lord and Savior is not only teaching us about giving and service, but he is also instructing us how to change our hearts regarding the proper attitude of giving. We forget that everything we have comes from Heavenly Father, and we must be obedient to Him with our resources. There might be times when God tells us through the Holy Spirit to bless someone that hasn’t been so nice to us. He might also tell us to give to someone outside our circle of family, friends, or co-workers. Heavenly Father knows everything. If we are humble enough to hear Him, He will tell us how to give, to whom to give, and what to give. He will bring to our attention the exact opportunity that positions us to be a blessing, and to receive blessings that make the season merry and bright.
Jesus Christ teaches us in Luke 6:38(NLT), “Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.” The ‘giving’ to which Christ is referring is not giving to the point of anxiety and worry but giving according to God’s directive. In Philippians 4:6, God tells us not to be anxious about anything, but to pray about everything and communicate our needs to Him. Then, we are to express our deeply felt gratitude to Heavenly Father for all He has done. We are to do this with full confidence in His provision, as well as being confident that He will guide us to give in a way that pleases Him. When we’re obedient to God and have faith in His promises, it will usher in His peace. This peace guards our hearts and minds through the Lord Jesus Christ, and it will keep the pipeline to blessings and gratitude open all year through.■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Financial Woes During the Season of Giving”, written by Kim Times, edited by Reverend Fran Mack for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2018. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.