This season has many names. Christmas Time, The Holidays, and The Season of Giving quickly come to mind. For many, it is a difficult time of missing loved ones, or feeling lonely. For others it is truly a happy time, and for some it is no different than the rest of the year, just a little bit colder.
For churches it is a busy time of the year because church attendance goes up while Christmas services also take a considerable amount of time to plan. For other non-profits it is a busy as well because of it being the biggest time of the year for donations. Not only do children get gifts from their parents, but the poor often get meals, toys for their kids, winter coats and the like. It has kind of become a routine.
Sarah and I were talking the other day and she mentioned how our lives have not been the same from year to year not just in location or nature of our work, but financially. We have been in need, completely dependent on the generosity of others, and we have had a season where we have both had steady jobs that didn’t require us to fundraise. And now we are kind of a mix in between. She has a job and I live off faith for my job. In actuality, no matter where we have been or what our circumstances have looked like we have always had to live off faith. Anything can always happen. It just depends on where we put our trust.
Right now we are at a point where some factors in our fundraising have changed. We just found out that our biggest financial supporter will not continue in partnership with us in 2016. Because of that it is easy to fret, and in honesty there have been weeks where I have waisted time worrying about the future. But God reminded me about difficult times in the past.
In those times oddly enough God has pressed us to give. I remember when we needed to take a trip to the Philippines. I initially said no we can’t go, and Sarah said yes, we should go and that I should pray about it. The prayer wasn’t long and sure enough I knew we needed to go. I was looking at finances, but she was looking at vision. We needed about $1000 to make the trip from Cambodia to the Philippines, and within a month it came in out of nowhere. Even though it was provided for, God told us to give half of it away. So we did. Long story short, it worked out just fine and we had more than we needed.
I remember another time. I was working as an intern youth pastor in Wisconsin. I had a stipend of $100 a week, I just bought an engagement ring and I had to save for a wedding in a year. I felt pressed to give 30% away. Another long story short, we had more than we needed for the wedding.
Time after time, God has shown up financially, not out of our own efforts, but according to the rules of a different culture, the Kingdom Culture. Our giving has looked different in various seasons, but I am thankful that we have chosen to give when He said to give. Oddly enough, the times where He said to give, have been the times where we had been in the most need. The culture of the Kingdom of God beats to a different drum. Don’t let routine define how you contribute.
If you are struggling to be generous you are probably seeing the resources you have (I am not just talking about money here, but relationships, time, emotions, etc…) as your own. Don’t forget that everything you have has been given to you. And I encourage you to steward what has been given to you where you see God doing things. Psalm 23 says “our cup runs over.” Yeah, some of what we have been given is for us to enjoy, but there is always overflow, whether we notice it or not.
While circumstances have the potential to change again for us, (in our good moments) we are asking God, “where do you want us to give?” It isn’t because I am crossing my fingers hoping that if we give, God will provide for us. It is because He has already provided for us. Our cup runs over. We are citizens of a different culture. Our home is not in this world. The rules we play by are different. And you know what? I wouldn’t have it any other way.
