Do you have a giving plan in place? Or do you tend to give only when needs are presented in the moment?
Impromptu giving is a great habit, but it requires someone to ask you first. Instead of waiting to be generous until someone presents you with a need, you can take stock of your assets and income and create an intentional giving plan that also incorporates your desire to give spontaneously. In this way, you can prioritize generosity in the same way you prioritize your other financial commitments and goals.
Here are some questions you can ask as you build or revise your giving plan:
- What specific goals do you have for supporting your church and the other ministries you love?
- Does your plan cause you to stretch your faith that God will supply all your needs as you invest in His Kingdom work?
- What giving can you plan to do from non-cash, appreciated assets in addition to cash?
- Have you set aside funds to say yes to those spontaneous needs that arise?
- Does your plan include giving through your will or trust?
- Does your giving plan include other ways of supporting the ministries you love—such as focused prayer and volunteering your time?
As Christian stewards—managers of God’s resources—we want to give as God gives. As unique individuals, our plans can also be unique. Trust the Lord to guide you, and believe, as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:11–12, “You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way…overflowing in many thanksgivings to God” (ESV).
