Cheerful Giver?!?

Have you ever stopped to think about what it means when the Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that God loves a cheerful giver? I mean really look at yourself and ask do I give cheerfully? It's easy to kinda shrug off the question and say immediately yeah, of course. But is that the truth?

First ask yourself, what does it mean to be cheerful! Notice it does not say happy, glad, or even content. Those are all emotional responses that constantly change due to the circumstances that we are going through. No it says cheer-ful!?! Maybe I'm picking this apart but are you completely overjoyed by the thought of giving of your time, talents, finances, and self? Are you "full of cheer" at the prospect of giving up your Saturday morning to help out at the church. What about giving your last $20 to help the youth go to camp (that's another problem that we'll be talking about shortly). Now you may be thinking, "No one feels that way all the time, so are we all bad?" No! It is when your mindset changes from seeing your giving as an obligation to seeing it as an opportunity that the transformation begins. I said BEGINS not is complete!

We all have to realize and understand that we are NEVER going to be perfect in any aspect of our lives, and while this is no excuse to stay in a dilapidated condition, it is a call to a deeper and more meaningful acknowledgement of our need to constantly strive for a better you. A more caring, loving, impacting, compelling, and CHEERFUL you...