As I was beginning my Christmas shopping early (as opposed to the usual week before Christmas 😏), I realized that I was developing a sense of dread. Obligation was overshadowing the joy that I knew I should be experiencing. And—since “joy” is one of the fruits of God’s Spirit, I decided to go back to the well—that is, to God’s presence—for the answer to my joylessness.
In God’s presence, He reminded me that all that I have belongs to HIM. I am merely a steward of all that is under my control. I brought nothing into this world and I will take nothing out. Since everything I have belongs to Him, why wouldn’t I ask HIM to guide me?
This time with God was a game-changer for my Christmas shopping mindset.
God redirected me to use HIS resources to bring HIS joy in gift-giving at Christmas.
How simply relieving to be reminded that everything I have belongs to HIM and most importantly that—HE has a plan for my giving!
“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
James 1:17 NKJV
Not only is ALL of the goodness we have in our life a GIFT from God; but He set the standard for giving:
“He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?”
Romans 8:32 NKJV
God is love—which means He is selfless beyond our greatest imagination of what that even means. God’s most basic character is to give boundlessly. Jesus was born for one primary purpose—to GIVE His LIFE so that every human could be reconciled to Him. He gave the ultimate gift! He gave—not so we could live selfishly—but rather, so that we could learn to live in His love.
God’s giving sets the standard for how we should give.
But, the problem for most of us is that even after we are born again, we endeavor to GIVE in our own strength, limited by our own imagination. My friend, we don’t have to burden ourselves like this!
God is our most important resource for giving.
But to give like GOD—we must get closer to Him. To be close to God, we must be willing to surrender every part of our life to Him. We must develop our character to be more like His character. More money does not make us more generous.
Truly generous people give based upon their character not their circumstances; it is more of God in us—NOT more money in our bank account—that makes us more generous.
The greater our realization of our dependence upon God for everything AND—that everything we have belongs to HIM—the more generous we become! God never runs out of resources. The closer we are to Him, the more generous we will become because we know that without God—who IS love—we are nothing at all.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”
I Corinthians 13:1-3 NKJV
God is love; His generosity is boundless.
We would love to hear your thoughts about this devotional. Did God speak to you or challenge your daily walk with him? Or is there a topic that you would like Kimberly to cover or expound on? Please share with us in the comments below.
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4 Responses
We must be generous with our time and resources. That is the only way God can give us more .
He is so generous!
thank you God for your love and gift of your son. we are so blessed
Amen and amen! What a blessing to be in God’s service!