Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Recently, I spoke with a guy who struggled with this verse. He was a Christian. And he gave to his local church. But he admitted that his giving wasn’t always cheerful. He didn’t give begrudgingly. It just wasn’t cheerful.

In this moment of transparency, he asked what he could do to become a cheerful giver. He wanted to become the type of giver 2 Corinthians 9:7 tells us we should be.

This guy is not alone. Many others find themselves asking this very question. So how does one experience joy in their giving? How can they become a cheerful giver?

Here are a few suggestions:

1. Pray for your heart to be aligned with God’s heart. Spend some time asking God to posture your heart toward giving in the same way that His heart is postured. Pray that what makes Him happy will make you happy as well. Pray for alignment.


2. Pray that God will show you the impact of your giving. Ask Him to reveal the difference your giving makes. Pray that He will show you how He uses the resources you release to make an eternal difference.


3. Focus on mission, not money. When you give, consider the Kingdom-advancing mission that you are a part of. Your giving is much more than a transfer of money from one bank account to the next. It is an act of war. God will use your money to push back the darkness in this world.


4. Consider how open-handedness transforms momentary into eternal. You frequently regret past purchases. You rarely regret past generosity. Why? When you give, you move money from momentary impact to eternal impact.


5. Focus more on what they don’t have. When you focus on others’ needs (as opposed to your own wants), you realize that your giving can make a real difference in your community and the world. You become less concerned about yourself and more concerned about others.


6. Consider a different way to give. I give online, and, most of the time, I encourage others to do the same. However, if you give online yet feel detached from God’s mission, try giving during a service. In-person giving may help you feel a greater connection to the church and the impact it is making.

God wants us to be a cheerful giver. If you find yourself in a giving funk, consider these six suggestions. Reignite a passion in your heart for financially supporting the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

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Written by Art Rainer, member of the Summit Stewardship and Generosity Ministry Leadership Team.

The Summit offers a variety of stewardship classes to help equip you to become a faithful steward.

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