ByWhat is faithfulness? It is staying committed to one thing or person for a lifetime, regardless of anything that happens. Marriage is the largest institution that preaches faithfulness. Because once you’re married, you’ve signed up to live with your spouse. And with God’s help, it’s going to be an awesome journey with that person.
However, it is essential to learn how to cultivate faithfulness in financial giving as a believer in Christ. Why? Because money was invented by God through man to be used to serve His purposes, not for us to serve it.
God wants you to be a faithful giver
Nothing is much more loving than to find and live with a faithful person. Unfortunately, these people are hard to find, and this didn’t start today. Unfaithfulness was even manifested in the Old Testament. That’s why Solomon said in Proverbs 20:6 NKJV (boldface mine) that,
[6] “Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, but who can find a faithful man?”
If it was easy for him to find someone faithful, I don’t think he would have written that in the Word. Even he himself married many women. So his life depicted unfaithfulness to one woman.
God wants you to become one of the few people in this world who’re faithful givers in His kingdom. He desires that your commitment to supporting the work of the ministry in terms of finances should increase. But it’s not just about getting to that level of financial loyalty in Christ. It’s much more about sustaining that level by grace. So, here are three things to do in order to cultivate faithfulness in financial giving.
Pray for the grace of giving to abound in your life
There’s a grace for giving in the kingdom of God. Any Christian who gives financially, especially in hefty amounts, doesn’t do it by his own strength. It’s by grace, developed by consistent giving from small to large amounts in reverence to the Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul told the Corinthian church in 2 Corinthian 8:7 that they should abound in the grace of giving, in as much as they abound in faith, speech, knowledge, all diligence and love. So to us, grace is a necessary possession if we want to become faithful givers in God’s house. Don’t just desire it; pray for it to get unlocked in your life. Start giving consistently in a fixed amount, and increase it as God gives you more. You’ll build commitment in financial giving.
Give intentionally
Intentional giving is another essential spiritual discipline to build if you want to cultivate faithfulness in financial giving. It’s so significant that Paul indirectly emphasised it in 2 Corinthians 9:7 NKJV (boldface mine), saying,
“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.”
The word “purposes” in the scripture refers to an intentional decision. God is saying that, to intentionally decide what you want to give in your heart before doing so. It shouldn’t be because ministry leadership quoted an amount for you to pay but because of your own decision. And when you stick to it, you’ll give in your own means without being forced. God will see what you’re doing and will bless your labours.
Build sustainable structures around your finances
I don’t believe in having one bank account or mobile money to house all your finances. I see it to be inappropriate because it’ll serve as a miscellaneous account for all kinds of purposes, which is wrong if you want to have an organised finance structure in your life.
At least, I recommend a savings account, an emergency account and a giving account established to handle demarcations in your funds. If you’re married, having a joint bank account for family expenses is also a great option to add. That would make it easy for you to know where to withdraw money to give in God’s house without it affecting your personal finances.
With these three factors in view, cultivating faithfulness in financial giving would be easy to do. You’re a blessing.
