"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 9:6-8)
You've probably heard the phrase, "God loves a cheerful giver" at least once, if not countless times. Usually we associate this with monetary contributions, but I'd like to take a different stance. As a 23-year-old who is currently taking out more student loans than I'd like to count and has never heard the word "salary" spoken to me directly, I don't have a lot, financially, to give to the church or to the world. It can be discouraging (for many reasons), and sometimes I feel guilty. Look at the verses before and after the most familiar phrase though. I'm not sure Paul is talking about money, at least not exclusively. Should we fund the church if we are able? By all means. But there is something with which we are all supplied that we can in turn give out abundantly: Grace.
One of the facts about being a sinful human being is that we struggle with selfishness. We are taught by the world to look out for ourselves, because hardly anyone else is going to do it. We get tired of giving and not receiving. Eventually we stop wanting to forgive, since it seems we're always held accountable for our own mistakes. We get tired of trusting, only to be let down. We get tired of loving, when it seems to always lead to hurt. I've been at that point where I look up and say, "I have no more left to give." I've viewed grace as finite, and anything finite can be depleted. So I've sat there, exhausted from giving too much and bitter about the prospect of giving more. What went wrong in those times is that I tried to dig into myself and find the will to give more, and I really am limited in how much grace I have to spread around. I'm human. I get frustrated and greedy and angry. Digging deeper into myself will never work. Looking to God will always work. Spending time recharging with His Word and being reminded of His love and infinite grace gives us the strength to keep a smile on our faces when we have every reason to frown. We can love because He first loved us and forgive because we have been forgiven more. His well of joy and hope never runs dry.
Take comfort in the fact that it's not up to you to create your own grace. It is given to you in abundance, and it spills over into the lives you touch.
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