Have you ever found yourself wondering if you’re generous enough? Whether it’s your time, money, resources, energy—how do you know you’re ‘doing your part’ when it comes to meeting the needs you see around you?
Because you want to be generous and do your best, it’s a fair question, is it not? It’s certainly one I’ve asked myself many times, sometimes to the point of causing anxiety.
“What if I’m not doing enough? Giving enough? I mean, there’s so many needs and I can’t meet them all. Which ones do I give to?”
While there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to answering this question, I want to share a scripture with you that has been a huuuuge help when it comes to making decisions about where and how much I give (of my money, time, etc.).
It’s found in 2 Corinthians 9:7.
Here’s the context: The Apostle Paul is writing to the Corinthian church and reminding them of a financial offering they’ve promised (honestly, this whole chapter is awesome, especially in the AMPC version which is the version I’m going to quote below. You should check it out.)
Here’s what the verse says:
Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, and is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver [whose heart is in his giving]. (Emphasis mine)
Isn’t it amazing?!?
In the absence of a clear directive, this verse is my #1 go-to when trying to decide what to give.
There are two questions I ask myself:
- Am I doing this because I feel forced to do it? (aka “reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion”)
- Do I feel excited, cheerful, or joyful about giving in this situation?
If the answer to the first question is “Yes, I’m feeling reluctant or forced” then I pause and re-evaluate.
“Is this really the best place to give if I’m doing it from a place of ‘have to’?”
“If I go ahead and say ‘yes’ anyway, am I in danger of feeling resentful down the road?”
Big Hint:Anytime I’m feeling forced to do anything is a major red flag! ???
If, however, the answer to the second question is “Yes, I feel excited about giving here!” then I know it’s a green light to proceed.
Of course, this isn’t the only verse on giving in the Bible. I get that there are times when we know God is directing us to be obedient or we have committed to something and are following through, regardless of how we ‘feel.’ That’s not the point of this post, though.
The purpose of this post is to help you when:
- You’re feeling confronted with lots of options and aren’t sure which ones to say ‘yes’ to; or
- You’re feeling overwhelmed or stretched thin and want to know where to keep giving (financially or otherwise) and where to consider backing off.
It’s amazing how much we intuitively know if we just take the time to consider our natural responses (reluctant vs. excited) when presented with options.
If you’ve enjoyed this, I’d love to invite you to something new I’m launching on Instagram next week.
Beginning Monday morning, August 9, I’m going to do my version of a Money Minute and post it in my IG stories.
Basically, it’s going to be small, 60 second-ish bite-sized chunks of money advice designed to help you master your mindset and your finances.
One of my biggest passions in life is to help people reconcile their relationship with money and this is an easy way to offer short bits of advice that most people will have time to watch.
If you don’t follow me already on Instagram, check out my profile @melissarunacres. Invite any friends who’d enjoy it as well. The more the merrier!
As always, I’m cheering you on!
