Making it Personal
If God is concerned about the heart and He loves a cheerful giver, is it better not to give if my heart is against it? You have probably thought this before. Is God honored if my giving is only out of duty? I would have to say yes because we are still being obedient but when our heart is not in it, we muzzle the hose of blessing.
This also brings up Faith Promise Mission which is sacrificial giving at its core. The Bible is clear that all Christians are to start by giving a tithe or tenth back to God, but there are many accounts of His children giving above and beyond, sacrificially, to supply for others and the church. We know it brings honor to God and gets His attention, Mark 12:42-f.f. It is not only about the amount of money we give but the sacrificial giving is what cries out to God.
Why do you think that sacrificial giving catches His attention so much? For one, it shows our total dependence on God. When you give sacrificially, you are not worrying about earthly things but you are investing in heavenly things and relying on God to supply.
Also, it shows your submission to God. He demands our obedience and when we give back what God tells us to, we are being submissive to Him. It shows the Lordship of Christ. He is King and deserves to be treated as such.
It also shows humility. Proverbs tells us many times that God will remember and bless the humble but reject and judge the proud. When we hoard money and do not give away what God wants us to, it is a proud act. We are telling God that we know what is best instead of trusting Him. I Peter goes on to tell us that God will lift up the humble. I say all of this to encourage you to seek God’s guidance on giving and ask if there is a role in Faith Promise and then follow in obedience.