When you hear the word generosity where does your mind go?

Giving your money? Maybe material goods?

Generosity is so much more than just giving our money. God has given us a perfect example of how to give of ourselves.

Yes we can give, and should, of our finances. But what about being more generous with our time? How about generously giving mercy to others? How about we just give what God calls us to and trust Him with the outcome!

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” Luke 6:38 (NLT)

When God called me into youth ministry my first thought was, “Lord, I’m not qualified!” My second thought was, “To be honest God, I don’t really don’t have the time.” I told Him I didn’t have the time but this is the same God that made the sun stand still. He is capable of giving me time. I just didn’t want to give it.

As we all know time is a very valuable commodity!

In typical God fashion when I finally submitted and gave my time and my limited abilities God multiplied everyone of them.

So I have to ask, when asked to “share” do you tighten your fist and say NO like a child who doesn’t want to share their favorite toy? I get it, it can be hard when we’ve worked so hard for something we think is ours and we’ve earned it. But let’s be honest is it really ours?

[Tweet “God is the best gift giver ever. We absolutely cannot out give Him!”] But we have to unclench our fists so that we can allow God to do the work he intended with our generosity.

Do you know the funny thing about a tight, clenched fist? It’s not open to receive either. What we think we’re holding onto desperately is keeping us from the gifts that God wants to give us. It’s time to roll your fingers back even if it takes a little bit of effort. Go ahead – try it. Is it hard? Are you finding it difficult to say, “Here it is God, whatever you want me to give I will?”

We’re fooling ourselves if we believe we were created for an easy life. But there’s no need for despair because we were also created for a life of abundance. I know that seems to contradict itself but it doesn’t when you think stop and think about it.

What the world thinks of as abundant and easy isn’t the same as what God’s word promises us. [Tweet “The world’s version of abundance is often laced with deception. God’s abundance is eternal!”]

A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance. John 10:10 (HCSB)

We want to hold on to what we think is ours when in all reality what God has for us is so much better. Yet it doesn’t always make it easy to make the right choice.

So often we just think about the cost to ourselves because it’s human nature. Unfortunately we are a selfish being without Christ. So when those times come up and we’re struggling to let go of something go ahead and tell Jesus it’s hard.

I am so ready for all of us to stop pretending we’re perfect and everything come easy. He doesn’t want us to hide it from Him! He’s not waiting for us to be perfect. He simply wants us to come to Him. Even in our struggles – especially in our struggles!

Outside of Christ it is impossible to truly give in love. Thankfully, Jesus tells us when we freely give it will be freely given to us.

[Tweet “Jesus wants our hearts freely given to Him. He’ll pour everything else into us we need.”]

I’d love to hear from you! Are there certain areas of your life where generosity comes easier? Anything that is super hard to let go of for you? Let’s bring it out into the light and let God work it out within us.

I’m sharing this post with several other blogger’s at these Faith Linkups. I encourage you to check them out. If this post resonates with you and feel it would help others please feel free to share. Easy to share buttons below. ~Laura~