Answers

Q:

I know God is supposed to bless people if they give money to Him, but I'm on a fixed income, and it's all I can do to keep my head above water financially. Am I failing God or making Him angry because I can't give as much as others do?


A:

No, God isn’t angry because you can’t give as much as others. He knows your situation, and He knows what you can and can’t do. God never holds us accountable for things we can’t do.

Nor is it true that God will automatically bless us just because we give more money to Him. Yes, He does bless us when we give—but only if we give in the right spirit. If we give simply to impress others, for example, then we are giving for the wrong reason—and God will not bless us. Or if we give simply out of a sense of duty and not because we love God, then He will not bless us. The Bible says, “Each man (or woman) should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Or again, some people believe that if they only give enough to God, then He will reward them by letting them into heaven. But this isn’t what the Bible teaches. Only Christ can cleanse our souls and save us, as we come by faith to Him and trust Him alone for our salvation. If you have never done so, ask Him to come into your life today.

Then ask God to help you to give—even if it is only a small amount. Remember, God can use even the smallest gift to accomplish His work. One boy had only five pieces of bread and two fish in his lunch—but when he gave them to Jesus, 5,000 people were fed (see Matthew 14:19-21).