“When you have a relationship with the living God, heart prompts will test your faith abilities, not just the financial ones. God may initiate heart prompts to give an amount that matters in a big way. You might not think you can afford the gift. Or maybe you can afford it, but you’re not sure how it will affect your retirement, next summer’s vacation, or maybe even paying next month’s utility bill.
The impoverished Macedonian Christians did not have much financial ability to give. But their faith ability carried them through in giving a powerful gift to the famine-ravaged Judeans. We learn in Hebrews that “without faith it is impossible to please God” (Hebrews 11:6). Since acceptable gifts are gifts that please God, it’s reasonable to assume that our giving should involve faith.
Remember, giving is part of our relationship with God. It’s not a duty or a financial formula. As we engage in that relationship through giving, God grows our faith to deepen our walk with Him.
Jeff Anderson in Plastic Donuts: Giving that Delights the Heart of the Father (Colorado Springs: Multnomah, 2012) 85-86.
Has your heart prompted you to give in a faith-stretching way to something or someone lately?