A little while ago God challenged me to start giving more money as an offering to Him. It started with one project’s wage, but God soon prompted me to give Him a whole lot more - basically everything that wasn’t my regular, base income was to go to God.
My response was: “That’s fine, but then I have nothing left to save for a new computer, for a plane ticket to London for Taryn’s wedding etc. so that’s up to You then!”
I think God probably chuckled at that.
He did, however, reassure me that He was perfectly capable of providing said laptop and said plane ticket. So I decided to go ahead with that.
I’ve been trying to give more than I would normally, and have been trying to give all my “extra” income. It’s been tough as there have been a few unexpected expenses, but I’ve been doing ok.
The first funny thing that happened is that in the week after I gave that first bit of extra income, I had about 3 new project quotes requested. And that’s a lot of requests for a week, at least in my case.
Since then, I gave some more money away, and there have been another 2 or 3 quotes requested, and since then, the first project has been accepted and deposit paid.
That isn’t even the kicker. I was then presented with an opportunity for a new job. I applied, went for the interview, accepted the job and have now started. This job pays more, which means I will have more to give. But the really great thing:
The company bought me a brand new laptop.
And their attitude is not: this is ours and you’re using it. Their attitude is: this is your’s, use it for work. So I write this post on my brand new laptop, that God has provided. Pretty epic stuff!
Now, back to the title - does God always give back? Well, I’m pretty sure He does, I’ve just seen that. But I’m not convinced that He always does it in the way that we would choose.
The point
I had a thought this morning on my way to work. The thought was: “So the more I give to God, the more He gives to me?” I don’t think so. In fact I’m pretty sure of that. What I felt God was saying to me was not: “If you give, I give back” but rather:
No matter how much you give Me, I'll make sure you always have enough.
And that’s quite a different mindset. I don’t give to get. I give, because I know that no matter how much I give away, even if I give everything, God will make sure that I have enough to survive. So I can give freely, knowing that God will look after me.
And as Matthew 6:26 says:
Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are?
Now, I’m not saying I’ve got this right. I have money in my bank account, and God saying: hand it over, but my budget says that it’s spent. So what do I do? Give cautiously? Give freely? Give nothing, cause it’s spent? Well…that’s something I need to figure out. It’s a challenge I’m going to have to face monthly. He’s looked after me until now. I’m pretty sure He’ll look after me from now onwards. I mean, let’s be real! I have a brand new laptop!!!
Now all I’m waiting on is that plane ticket ;)
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