What Is At The Heart Of Giving To God?

In the following two passages, take some time of self-reflection to reveal what is at the heart of your act of giving to God. There are questions following each passage that act as a guide for your reflective thoughts.

Giving to Get?

Surely we don’t give to get?

It sounds like such a sincere question, one that I’ve asked many times. You give to help people, to finance kingdom vision and ministries, or to worship God. But giving to get? Frankly, that sounds greedy and materialistic.

Sometimes I believe our sincerity gets in the way of a powerful Biblical principle. Sowing and reaping is first and if my heart is right with God and my focus is aligned with His, it’s okay to give to get. Foundationally a spiritual principle that’s reflected in our creation.

He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully… (2 Corinthians 9:6-7 NKJV)

Imagine walking into your garden with tomato seeds and saying to yourself, “I’m just going to plant these seeds because it’s the right thing to do. I’m not going to expect anything in return, I’m not sowing to reap—I’m just planting for the sake of planting.” Let’s be honest. That would be crazy!

Our money is actually seed.   Giving is God’s way to bring increase into our life.  Once I know God wants to bless me as His child, and that He wants to get money into my hands so I can finance kingdom expansion and meet people’s need, then it’s time to release the power of the seed.   

Reflection Questions:

1.How has this passage prompted you to think about how you engage with giving to God in the future?

2.What are your biblical takeaways from 2 Corinthians 9:67 regarding giving? 

3. Looking back on your history of giving, would you have done things differently after reading this passage?  If so, what and why? If not, why not?

4.In what ways would you want to contribute to the expansion of God’s kingdom and meeting people’s needs?

Giving Gets God’s Attention

A second idea to keep in mind is that giving gets God’s attention. 

I’m a coffee lover—some would say a coffee snob. I love the aroma of a freshly poured espresso shot. If I walk past a good coffee shop, that aroma gets my attention. I inhale long and deep. 

Something like this happens when we give. Like the aroma of coffee, our giving wafts up before God as a sweet-smelling sensation, bringing pleasure to Him. It brings a smile to His face. And it gets His attention. It is worship to Him—something the apostle Paul tells us about after being the recipient of what others gave him:

Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:18-19 NKJV)

When the church in Philippi sent financial support to Paul, they did more than meet Paul’s physical needs. This gift got God’s attention. That attention came with a promise. God would supply their needs according to His unlimited riches.Their giving moved them from being limited to their own resources to enjoying the unlimited riches of heaven.

Reflection Questions

1.How would you define “ His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” based on Philippians 4:18-19? 

2. Before you read this passage what acts of worship did you believe initiated God’s attention?

3. In what ways will you now perceive your gift during the act of giving after reading this passage? 

4. What needs do you believe God can meet for you presently in this season?