Surprise! God is True to His Word

We’ve all heard that if we give generously God will bless us. It’s almost cliché at this point and that’s why I want to give some real world stories I’ve seen just in the last month in this ministry. Here’s the thing, God doesn’t need your money. The money is just a tool to get to your heart, and to grow your faith. Now understand the blessings from giving don’t always come back financially, but sometimes they do. Here are some examples.

A couple in North Carolina decided they would forego their weekend getaway vacations for three years to give to the church. These were special times for them to have time away from the children and relax so it was a significant sacrifice. Not long after they made this commitment, the wife received a new job offer and a raise in her salary. The raise was equal to the amount they had committed to the church. Out of principle the couple decided to not spend the extra on their vacations but stay at home as a sign of their commitment to fulfilling their pledge to God.

Another couple in the same church made a financial commitment and in doing so wouldn’t be paying down their student loans as quickly, which included medical school debt. Again not long after their commitment the wife was promoted at work, which more than made up what they had pledged. They decided to give more and accelerate the payments on their debt. They are now out of debt and freed up to be even more generous.

A Pastor I worked with decided he and his family would sell one of their prized possessions and give the money to the church. That item was a piano, and their family was very musically talented. Soon, a nearby seminary upgraded to a new piano and gave their old one to the Pastor. No it wasn’t as nice as their old one, but they were still able to enjoy their musical talents together. This Pastor had also kept an old car so he wouldn’t have to spend money on a newer one. It had many problems and was often in the shop. Someone in the community saw the need and gave him a new car.

Recently I witnessed the second largest gift I’ve seen given to a church. This couple had land on the market for years and wasn’t actively trying to sell it, just waiting to see what would happen. In the middle of our capital campaign a potential buyer approached them and the sale went through not long after. They were so grateful they not only made a large gift to the church but also to a local Christian non-profit.

Finally, one family decided to make an unprecedented financial gift to their church after God showed them how they could increase their giving. Through a capital campaign they had participated in serving the church in a new way and were growing their faith through service. After making the commitment they received some checks in the mail from their insurance company that they were not expecting.

These are fun stories to hear and each time I’m encouraged but not surprised. Again your blessing may not be financial, but God will follow through. Don’t be shocked when he does, it’s just his nature.