4.3 God Loves a Cheerful Giver

Let every man give according to the purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7, MEV

In 2 Corinthians 9:7, the Apostle Paul states we should give to God’s work, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. At the time he was writing, the Christians in Jerusalem were undergoing financial hardship.  In response to this need, Paul was taking up a collection as he traveled from city to city. When the Christians in Corinth heard about the need in Jerusalem, they were eager to help. Paul encouraged them to give with cheerful hearts rather than out of a sense of guilt or obligation.

In verses 8-10 Paul identifies cheerful giving believers as those with an obedient, generous heart. Such believers who show love by helping others will reap God’s special love, blessings, and grace because of the seeds of generosity they plant for His Kingdom. Biblical cheerful giving is an acknowledgement of what God causes to happen in the heart of a sower who loves to do the will of God.

God will bless those who bless others. The word cheerful (Greek word: hilaros) means an overwhelming sense of inner joy, gladness, and fulfillment that goes along with sincere and generous giving. True generosity means giving with no selfish expectations. Scripture is filled with teachings on money and issues of the heart.  God teaches us that to the one who gives, more will be given. We show our trust when we demonstrate our trust in God by giving a portion of what He has entrusted to us.  From a worldview, this sounds counterintuitive, but God shows us that He is the provider of all things. Generosity is a state of the heart—an attitude of gratitude to the One who gave it all for us. When we allow God to take control of all areas of our life, the closer we draw to Him, the greater the blessing we receive, the more God equips us to do more for Him.

Prayer:  Father, thank you for all you have given me. As the Word says, all we are given comes from you. May I give generously of my time, talents, resources, and all things you have blessed me with in a spirit of love and genuine gratitude. Continue to transform my heart and mind to be more like you, Lord. Develop in me a generous heart, one that cares and shows concern for others. My prayer is that others see Christ in me.

Commitment:  I pledge to become one who is ready and willing to seek ways to recognize the needs of others and stand in the gap to help and give freely of my talents, skills, and resources.

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