You work hard to get a paycheck. It seems it is never enough. A yearly raise, a promotion with added income, and investing wisely, never seem to be enough. No matter how you save, there are more bills than money at the end of the month. You see no end in sight.
To make matters worse, your pastor preachers on the need to give toward the ministry of your church. You know the church has operating expenses, but you feel the conflict of helping the church out and having enough money for personal living expenses.
One thing that helps is to remind yourself that God actually gives you everything that you have. You actually own nothing. The Lord owns it all. You are just to use it wisely. “Go, break to the needy sweet charity’s bread: For giving is living,” the angel said. “And I must be giving again and again?” My peevish and pitiless answer ran. “Oh, no” said the angel, piercing me through. “Just give till the Lord stops giving to you.” Yikes! That hits you where it hurts. You have felt that same way too.
The Word of God gives you some help dealing with this. It helps for you to realize where everything you have actually comes from. “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (James 1:17). Everything you have is a gift from God.
Knowing you are the custodian of everything that God has given you, makes you want to use it wisely. The Lord does not want you to fret and wring your hands in desperation trying to give to Him above what you are able. Going to God in prayerful use of your money kills the miser.
