Giving

THE WORD:  “For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have.  Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality.  At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.  The goal is equality, as it is written: ‘The one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.’” – 2 Corinthians 8:12-15

MY TRUTH:  Give according to your means (what you have) and desire (what you want to do freely).  God does not want us to struggle in our desire to give (i.e. give begrudgingly or thinking twice about it) or struggle as a result of giving (i.e. give away all that we have so that we are poor and homeless.....unless God has clearly told you to do this).  He wants us to give freely and according to what we have so that as a result we will contribute to the equality of each other's needs being met.  So when you have abundance give abundantly so that if the time comes when your abundance is low another will have the means to supply unto you.  If everyone were to do their own part and give, everyone would have what they need.  No one would or should be in want.  But in order to do this we must be connected to God and pray for his spirit to overtake our giving so that we may not be limited by our stingy flesh.