I once heard a story of a man who fell into a deep pit. Friends came and said, “Give us your hands, let us pull you out.” He ignored them. Worried, they called his wife. She came, smiled, and said, “Honey, take my hands.” He quickly grabbed her hands and was lifted out. The man only understood receiving, not giving.
Friend, givers are receivers, not vice versa. Many believers only understand the language of receiving, not giving. Like that man in the pit, they want to take, not give. That is why they hardly receive anything. Giving and receiving work together (Philippians 4:15). Your problem is not with receiving. Your problem is with giving.
You cannot reap what you have not sown (Galatians 6:7-9). No amount of prayer will make a farmer harvest where he did not sow (Genesis 8:22). Stop trying to get by prayer what only answers to principles. Prayer quickens your seed. It does not replace your seed.
If you pray well without giving, you will be spiritual and anointed but poor (2 Kings 4:1). Praying people must learn to give and giving people must learn to pray. They are not mutually exclusive. God told Cornelius that both his prayers and his alms came up as a memorial (Acts 10:1-4).
Giving is a grace, but it is also a discipline and a habit (2 Corinthians 8:1-7). God supplies the grace, and you supply the discipline until it becomes a habit. It is not first about what you have. It is about who you are. Are you a giver or a receiver? What you give triggers what you receive (Luke 6:38).
Rather than wanting to be a better receiver, desire to be a better giver (Acts 20:35). Givers are receivers. When God blesses you, don’t only raise your standard of living, but also raise your standard of giving. Let your increase reflect in your giving, not only in your living. Don’t just look good; do good (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
‘Demola Awoyele
Lead Pastor,
Destiny Impact Church
Akure, Nigeria
