Monday Memo 1216: Giving
As we close this study on purpose and provision, it’s important to reflect on one of the most challenging and misused aspects of the Christian life: generosity. Generosity is woven deeply into the fabric of God’s Kingdom. It flows naturally from a heart that has experienced God’s grace and provision. Yet, it is often misunderstood and misapplied, especially in conversations about finances and God’s blessing. And we all have heard someone promise a windfall if we would only give a gift, sometimes of a specific amount, to their ministry or cause.
Throughout this series, you have learned that God is your Provider—the source of all your needs. He meets you daily with His faithfulness, often in ways beyond your expectations or understanding. We have explored how God teaches you to trust Him in every financial season: abundance or lack, ease or hardship. We’ve seen that God’s provision is not tied to human systems or institutions, or limited by circumstances, but is a demonstration of His love and power.
But as we embrace the truth that God will meet our needs, we must also grapple with what it means to give and live generously. Generosity is not the mechanism to “unlock” God’s provision like a slot machine. It is not a transactional act we perform to get a jackpot. Instead, generosity is a response—a grateful outpouring from our hearts because we recognize God has given us all we have. Our giving is then a response, an expression of trust, worship, and obedience.
Generosity Flows from Grace, Not Manipulation
Many people struggle with the idea of giving, especially when finances are tight. Sometimes giving is misunderstood as a way to “buy” God’s favor or to guarantee His blessing. This mindset turns generosity into manipulation—an attempt to control God’s hand by what we offer Him. But the Scriptures teach a different story. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9:6-8:
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
Notice Paul’s emphasis: generosity is a choice made “in your heart”—it is voluntary and cheerful, not forced or calculating. God “loves a cheerful giver,” not a reluctant or strategic one. The promise that “God is able to bless you abundantly” is tied to His grace, not to our attempts to manipulate outcomes. The Apostle James warns us as well:
You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures (James 4:2-3).
What is your motivation for giving? Is it to ensure God's blessing or to acknowledge you already have it, and can thus share that blessing with others? Are you giving so God will bless your business? Do you hope that your next gift is the one that "puts you over the top" and gives you a financial windfall? If your motive in giving—or in asking God for provision—is self-centered or manipulative, the promise of a blessing isn't automatic. In other words, your giving cannot be used to try and control God.
As we finish this series, I pray you walk forward in confidence and grace, knowing that God will meet your needs as you pursue your purpose. May generosity flow from your heart not as a transaction, but as a joyful response to the One who gave His all for you. Have a blessed week and be watching for the book with the studies from this series titled Purpose Full Provision.