I have a confession. This month, I have decided to give 10% of my gross monthly paycheck to God. And by 10%, it's probably 9.95%--a minor technicality. The point is, I started giving 5% in July or August. If I happened to have a surplus at the end of the month, I'd give that to God as well.
May I add this is a complete 180 for me. Some of my objections to God in the past included the priest spending an entire sermon asking for more money. The concept is foreign to me, but I've found a church I support and has pointed me to Jesus.
Two weeks ago, I listened to Bill preach about leaving big decisions up to God. He had a few pointers to help us learn to listen to God. One of which included obeying God when it came to the "little things." Arguably, I doubt any of God's demands upon us are little, or easy. What even qualifies as a "little thing?" For me, that was how much money I was giving to the church. It's probably one of the few things I can actually choose to obey. I anticipate it will be a difficult choice every month, but it's a choice I want to make.
It's been a week, and I've already noticed a shift in my perspective. I scrutinize my purchases like I never have before. Furthermore, I'm operating on cash only (with gas and groceries being the only exception). I am literally stretching my dollars every week. Oddly enough, I feel more responsible. I feel like I'm making better decisions with my money.
This decision, however, does have poor timing (will my sinful nature ever end?). While the amount of weight I lose increases, the amount of clothes that fit me in my closet decreases. Now I need to save money in order to rebuild my wardrobe. Maybe the timing is better than I thought since Christmas is right around the corner. I'm not worried either way; I just cannot splurge the way I had imagined.
The first week was a success. I managed to stay within my limit for the week, and today begins a new week. I'm thankful for all God has provided for me.
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