Testing God with Money

50%  . That’s the amount I felt the Lord was asking me to give  from the income of my photography business for a particular season. I felt this calling about a year and half ago and at that time 50% really wasn’t that much because I wasn’t making a lot. The business was young and my sessions were few and far between. So I gave 50% once or twice. But that was it. My faith wasn’t strong enough to give that much and I just went back to my tithe of 10%. That was safe. It wasn’t always safe though. There was a time when giving that much freaked me out, but that’s a story for another day that I look forward to sharing later.

A few weeks ago God knocked on my heart again about this issue. Not in a judging or accusing way like you might think. He didn’t scold me with a shaking finger in my face and say ” why haven’t you given me that money?” Instead He gentle laid an impression on my heart that stated , “hey let’s look at this issue again.”

The bible says that we are robbing God if we are not giving tithes and offerings.

Malachi 3:8 “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me.
“But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’
“In tithes and offerings.”

I had learned to give God my tithe, but completely overlooked the offering part. Offering is anything that we give beyond the 10% . I realized that in my fear and spiritual immaturity I was actually robbing God of what is ultimately His anyway. So I went deeper into this scripture and was surprised at what it said.

Malachi 3:9-10 “You are under a curse—the whole nation of you—because you are robbing me. ¹⁰ Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”

Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t normally test God. It just seems dangerous. But these verses spoke to me and brought me back to that struggle of giving 50% .  It was still a wrestle. In my heart I knew what I should do, but fear was crippling me. The more I thought about it the more doubt and greed was  creeping in and trying to pin me down. So what did I do? I prayed a prayer that went something like this:

Lord, I want to be faithful and obedient. But I have to be honest with you, I don’t think I can give 50%. I don’t really know why, but I just struggle with that. I have seen you be faithful in this area of my life before, but for some reason I am just hesitant. This is tough for me. But I believe your Word. And I want to live it out in my life. So I am going to do what it says and test you. Please accept this offering, it’s not 50%. But it’s a start. I pray that you will use this to increase my faith, whatever that might look like.

This is where they story gets cool!

I gave an offering with my photography money that was a little more than the tithe. It wasn’t 50%, but it was more than I normally give. It was a spiritual baby step that God honored. Two days after I gave the offering I booked 3 more sessions. The Lord increased my offering by more than 50%. Why? I believe He did it because He wanted to increase my faith and because He keeps his promises. Of course he can pour down blessings from heaven like the scripture says in ways that are not monetary. But this time He chose to prove Himself to me in this way. He said to test Him and I did and it increased my faith. That’s the journey. I am still not giving 50%, but I believe I will get there one day with God’s grace.

Do you struggle with giving like I do? Are you trusting God with your finances? Do you have questions about tithing? Perhaps you have an awesome testimony how God has provided for you. I would love to hear what you have to say.

Click here to listen to a great sermon that speaks on this issue. It is encouraging. (http://www NULL.beltway NULL.org/player/092610)

(http://www NULL.linkwithin NULL.com/)