During the new year season, my church always does a financial series concerning how God and the world see money. Though it may seem odd to speak about such a matter, the reality is that a lot of us have money issues and if not us, then someone we know. Now, this was an “it’s tight but it’s right’ moment because as a young adult, talking about money makes people feel all kinds of ways and usually uncomfortable. It’s good when everything is paid, but bad when I have to scrape by to meet the minimum.
At the heart of the issue, my pastor asked this question, “Do you truly believe that everything you have is God’s?”
Psalms 24:1 states “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him. ” I said ‘Amen’ when he asked the question, meaning I was agreeing with the statement. However, the Holy Spirit asked, So why is it so hard for you to give it away?
Before I dive into this conviction, know that giving is not the only thing that affects our view of whose money it is ultimately. Stewardship (the way to allocate money), producing (the way to make money), and sowing & reaping (where and what to invest in and the time to harvest) are all other places that are affected by that understanding as well. Giving is what was the highlight of this revelation.
For backstory, I grew up moving home to home with my brother because my mother didn’t have much money for school and work. Such phrases like “that’s expensive” or “I can’t afford that” were part of my vocabulary before age 10. I didn’t have a healthy understanding of what money was and was not for. All I knew is that I never had it, so when I did, I felt like I needed to hold on to it. I hardened my heart at such a young age, counting every penny I gave to anyone and watching it until it was returned.
“For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you” ( 2 Corinthians 9:10 NLT).
I continued this behavior into my early twenties. However, I started to notice that my money never went far when I operated in that manner of “where is my money at?” As the verse says above, “For God provides seed for the farmer then bread to eat,” and I was eating my seed thinking I was doing the right thing. I mean it was given to me, I should be able to use it as I please, right? If we go back to Psalms 24:1 in the second paragraph, then no, this money in my account is not my own. So, how do I stop this cycle?
First, I had to believe that God has and will provide for “all my needs according to riches and his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NIV). And the needs that He has promised to provide for are more than money and finances but it is still a part of it. If I act as if I was only given bread, in reference to 2 Corinthians 9: 10 NLT, then I consume everything with fear of giving because I don’t see that my future is secure.
I would love to say that it felt amazing when I first started giving tithe and offering consistently at church, but it didn’t. Not because I didn’t love God or my church but because my flesh fought me every time I put that number on the check.
So, I said God, I want to give and I feel a peace when I do, however, I feel like my flesh is fighting me. But His word said “And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Galatians 5:24), meaning that it has no power over me. In fact, it can be put into submission to the Spirit that dwells within us by fasting so that’s what I did.
Though it seems like I have done a 180 when it comes to giving and that I have figured it out, it is still a process. The biggest change we have to make as a generation is not just talking about God but living out His word. Though it is nice to use for our health, family, and relationships, it is time to read what He says about our money and remember not only that what we have is not our own but a gift from God, but also that He has so much more to give as we seek Him!
