Tithing Keeps You Focused on and Trusting in God

If you stop tithing in order to save money, you immediately stop trusting in God and start trusting in yourself and in the world.  If you are truly trusting God to provide for you, then you know He can (and will) provide all your needs, even when it seems like you can’t afford to tithe.  There are so many different ways God can bless you and provide for you that it’s impossible to even guess them all.  And in my experience, He’ll usually do so in a way that surprises you.  Increasing your income or bringing you extra money is only one of the ways He can work.  He can provide you with a free service that otherwise would have cost you a lot more, He can keep your car from breaking down and costing you a hefty bill, He can keep you from becoming sick or your property from being vandalized, He can provide a sale on something you need to buy -- the list goes on and on.  God thinks and works outside the box and He just wants you to trust Him to do what He said without trying to take matters into your own hands.

I’ve often heard the saying that 90% of your income with God’s blessing is better than 100% without it, and I have seen this to be true many times in my own life.

Tough Economic Times are Usually When You Need God’s Blessing the Most

God’s financial blessings abound when you tithe so why would you want to stop the flow of blessing when you need Him the most?  If unemployment rates are rising, don’t you want God’s blessing to provide you with steady income? If sales are down, don’t you want His blessing to increase your revenue in the midst of it?  If gas prices are going up, don’t you want His blessings to help you afford to fill your tank?  Obviously, God can choose to bless us at any time and in any circumstance, but when we stop focusing on God as Lord of our lives, we can easily miss out on the graces He wants to give us. As Christians, why wouldn’t we want to do our part to honor God and open the door wide to all the possibilities He has in store for us?

If you’ve been struggling with tithing on a tight budget or if you have stopped tithing altogether, I encourage you to start again as soon as you can.  Even if you start with only a small percentage and work your way up, it is still something.  God knows things are tough and that tithing isn’t always easy, but He also knows it works and that it blesses you and leaves you better in the end.  And when things get tough, find encouragement through God’s Word and remind yourself of the good things to come.  “And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” Galatians 6:9