Are you exhausted from all the Christmas excitement? The rush of shopping, family gatherings and good deeds can be overwhelming and exhausting. Especially it’s a once a year experience. The spirit of giving doesn’t have to be just at Christmas time, in fact, scripture speaks of consistent giving.
“Let each one [give] as he has made up his own mind and purposed in his heart, not reluctantly or sorrowfully or under compulsion, for God loves (He takes pleasure in, prizes above other things, And is unwilling to abandon or to do without) a cheerful (joyous, “prompt to do it”) giver
[whose heart is in his giving].”
~ 2 Corinthians 9:7 (AMPC)
“And [God] Who provides seed for the sower and bread for eating will also provide and multiply your [resources for] sowing and increase the fruits of your righteousness [which manifests itself in active goodness, kindness, and charity].”
~ 2 Corinthians 9:10 (AMPC)
You see, if we develop the spirit of giving, God is unwilling to abandon a cheerful, “prompt to do it” giver whose heart is in their giving. Because we serve an and/also God, He provides things we need (bread for our food) and resources to give. Then when you’re active in your giving, the fruit of our righteousness will be revealed. It would be important to make mention that active giving means something you do constantly, not just one time.
Sure we get emotional and give to the needs we hear of during Christmas. Afterwards, we say things like, I did my good deed for December so now I’m going to get mine. We think about “mine” all year long, such as: “how am I going to get out of the debt I just put myself in? I bought for everybody else, it’s time to get mine. I need to make more money; I need to take more vacations, I, I, I.
If we purpose in our hearts to be cheerful, “prompt to do it” givers all year round, being sensitive to the Holy Spirit to hear who needs to be reminded of God’s goodness, then it helps us keep our minds off of “I”. As a result, we begin to experience that wonderful Christmas experience year round.
While we remember Christ’s birth at Christmas, we are told in scripture as we take communion to remember His death at the cross for us. That is something we don’t want to remember once a year but as often as we can. Being reminded of God’s love through the spirit of giving does not have to be done only at Christmas. We can choose to be year-round givers, seeking to bless those that God places in our path. As a result, you will experience the spirit of Christmas as a lifestyle.
As a family, when we began to focus on being a blessing year-round, we experienced the blessings of God in new ways. Which required us to begin allowing the Holy Spirit to lead our giving and receiving. You may be thinking if someone wants to give me a gift, I’m just going to take it. Well, we learned the hard way that every good and perfect gift comes from above. Not all gifts are from God and the only way you will know that is if you are sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
When we live for God and not for ourselves, it becomes easier to hear from the Lord. When we stop thinking about “I” we will hear when the Lord says to call a friend and pay their power bill. When you live to give in that way, you will cause others to thank God and they will experience Christmas in: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December.
~ André and Timberley Gray
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