Dear Church Family,

Grace and peace to you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. I am writing to you about a matter that is close to God’s heart and vital for our spiritual health: the grace of giving. The apostle Paul teaches us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that “each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver”. In these inspired words, we find a principle of cheerful and willing generosity. I want to share with you what this means for us as a congregation. Biblical giving is never to be done out of guilt, shame, or pressure, but as a voluntary and joyful response to God’s grace. My hope is that we all grow in understanding the heart of generosity from a biblical standpoint – seeing our giving as an act of worship and trust in God’s provision.

The Context of Cheerful Giving in 2 Corinthians 8–9

To grasp the full meaning of “God loves a cheerful giver,” we need to look at the broader context of 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9. In these chapters, Paul is writing to the Corinthian church about a collection for the believers in Jerusalem who were in need. He holds up the example of the Macedonian churches to illustrate what joyful, grace-filled giving looks like. Despite their own extreme poverty and trials, the Macedonian believers had “overflowing joy” which “welled up in rich generosity” . In fact, “they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability… entirely on their own” (2 Corinthians 8:3–4). They even begged for the privilege of sharing in this ministry of giving! Such eagerness to give could only come from hearts touched by God’s grace. Paul explains that the secret was that “they gave themselves first to the Lord” (2 Cor. 8:5). In other words, their generous giving was an overflow of their dedication to Christ.

Paul encourages the Corinthians to follow through on their own desire to give. He tells them, “since you excel in everything – in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness… see that you also excel in this grace of giving” (2 Cor. 8:7). Notice that Paul calls giving a grace. It’s not merely a financial transaction; it is a work of God’s grace in our hearts. Just as God’s grace produces faith and love in us, it also produces generosity. Paul is careful to clarify, “I am not commanding you” (8:8). Giving must be voluntary – if it were forced, it would lose its meaning. Instead of ordering them, Paul appeals to the sincere love that should motivate their giving. He even provides the supreme example of generosity: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). Jesus Christ is the ultimate cheerful giver – He gave up the riches of heaven and freely sacrificed Himself for us. All our giving is a response to His amazing grace.

Giving Without Guilt or Compulsion

With that context, Paul sums up the principle in 2 Corinthians 9:6–7: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” God is teaching us that biblical generosity is to be willing and glad. We are not to give “reluctantly or under compulsion” – in other words, not with regret, not because we feel pressured or coerced . True giving is never forced; it is not a tax or a “dues” we pay grudgingly . As one commentary notes, “God does not want our giving to be grudging… or given because someone has made us or manipulated us into giving. This is more the spirit behind taxation, not Biblical giving.” . If we give out of guilt or because we are shamed into it, we miss the heart of worship. I want to assure you, dear friends, that God is not interested in offerings given under pressure. As your pastor, I never want you to give just because you feel obligated or afraid of what others might think. That kind of giving does not delight the Lord – and it will bring you no joy either.

Instead, God invites us to give freely from the heart. Paul says “each person should give as he has decided in his heart.” This means you should prayerfully and thoughtfully decide what to give, based on your ability and willingness, and then give joyfully. It’s between you and the Lord – an act of worship from your heart. Even in the Old Testament, God desired freewill offerings given gladly. When Moses invited the Israelites to donate materials for the tabernacle, the people gave “freely and wholeheartedly” until they had to be told to stop because there was more than enough (Exodus 35–36). That is the kind of willing spirit God loves to see. “God loves a cheerful giver” – He delights in the heart that wants to give. Think of a parent who is especially pleased when they see their child share with a happy heart, not because they were forced – it’s the same with our heavenly Father. When we give with joy, we reflect His own generous character, for God Himself is the most generous giver. “He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all” (Romans 8:32), and every day He gives us grace upon grace. When we give cheerfully, we are imitating God’s love and it brings Him great joy .

The Heart of Generosity: A Response to Grace

Biblical generosity flows from grace, not from guilt. Paul points out that the Corinthians’ giving would be proof of God’s grace at work in them: their “liberal sharing” would show the genuineness of their faith (see 2 Cor. 9:13). In 2 Corinthians 8–9, the word “grace” (Greek charis) appears repeatedly when talking about giving . The ability to give generously is itself a gift from God – a work of grace that He enables in us . This is why Paul starts by saying, “we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches” (8:1). Their generosity was empowered by God’s grace. In the same way, when we feel joy in giving, it is a result of God’s grace working joy and love into our hearts. One Christian writer beautifully said, “God loves a cheerful giver because those who feel pleasure in giving display the glorious grace of His Son.” In other words, when we give cheerfully we are demonstrating the character of Jesus – we are showing that His grace has made us more like Him, the great Giver.

So, loved ones, our giving is a response to what God has already done for us. We don’t give in order to earn God’s favor – we give because we already have received God’s favor in Christ. We are free from the bondage of thinking that our worth or security comes from money . The gospel has freed us to find our worth in Christ alone, so we can hold our possessions loosely. Remember, Jesus “though He was rich, yet for your sake became poor” (2 Cor. 8:9). He gave up everything for our salvation. If that truth truly grips our hearts, then giving becomes a privilege, not a burden . We start to see it as sharing in the work of God and expressing our thanks in a tangible way . In fact, Paul describes the offering of the Corinthians as “this service to the Lord’s people” (2 Cor. 9:12) and as an expression of their confession of the gospel (9:13). In other words, giving is ministry. It is a way we participate in God’s work and show the reality of the gospel at work in us.

Because giving is a response to grace, the attitude of the heart matters far more than the amount. Paul says, “if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what one does not have” (2 Cor. 8:12). What a freeing principle! God does not measure our gift by its size in dollars, but by the willingness and sacrifice behind it. For one person, a small amount given with great love and faith is just as precious to God as a larger amount given by someone else. Remember how Jesus honored the widow’s tiny offering, because she gave all she had out of love, whereas others gave a surplus with no heart (Mark 12:41-44). In the same way, no one should feel ashamed if they can only give what seems like a modest amount – “according to what one has” is what God asks. What He desires is that we offer our hearts first to Him (like the Macedonians did), and then give as we are able with joy. There is no room for comparing our gifts with others or feeling pressured to match someone else. God sees your heart, and “God loves a cheerful giver.”

Cheerful Giving as Worship and Trust

When we give freely and joyfully, we are not only helping others – we are worshiping God. True giving is an act of worship from a thankful heart. Paul describes the gifts of the Corinthians as producing “many thanksgivings to God” (2 Cor. 9:12). Those who receive help will thank God, and those who give are giving praise to God through their generosity. In fact, Paul says the recipients “will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel, and for your generosity” (2 Cor. 9:13). This means our giving is directly connected to glorifying God and showing the reality of the gospel. Just as singing a hymn of praise or offering a prayer is worship, so is writing a check or giving an offering with a thankful heart. It is part of our spiritual sacrifice. The Bible teaches, “Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased” (Hebrews 13:16). Similarly, Paul called the Philippians’ financial gifts “a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God” (Philippians 4:18). Think of that – your generosity is like incense rising in worship to the Lord. When done cheerfully, giving honors God as an act of trust and love.

Furthermore, cheerful giving is an act of trust in God’s provision. One reason people hold back or give reluctantly is fear – fear that “if I give, I won’t have enough for myself.” Paul anticipated this concern and reminds the Corinthians of God’s promises. “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 Cor. 9:8). He also writes, “He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion” (2 Cor. 9:10-11). What a reassuring promise! We cannot out-give God. When we step out in faith and give, God is able to bless and replenish so that we continue to have what we need. This doesn’t mean we give in order to get richer – rather, it means as we give, God faithfully provides for us just as He feeds the birds and clothes the lilies (Matthew 6:26-30). In fact, God often increases our resources “to enlarge the harvest of your righteousness” – in other words, He gives us more not to hoard, but to have even more capacity to be a blessing. When you give cheerfully, you are essentially saying, “Lord, I trust You to take care of me. My security is not in my money, but in You.” That trust honors God, and He responds to faith. As Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you… For with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you” (Luke 6:38). The Lord can channel His provision through our lives when we open our hands to give.

So, dear friends, let us see our giving as sowing seeds that by God’s power will produce a beautiful harvest. We sow financial seeds into God’s kingdom work, and we reap a harvest of righteousness, gratitude, and lives touched by the love of Christ. Paul assures us that this kind of generous sowing results in a “harvest of righteousness” (9:10) – that is, it helps righteousness (goodness) to flourish both in us and in others. It deepens our character to be more like Christ and spreads His love to those who receive help. And ultimately, God gets the glory as thanks overflow to Him.

Encouragement to Give Joyfully

I want to encourage each of us to examine our hearts regarding giving. Ask yourself: When I give, do I give freely and cheerfully, or reluctantly and out of obligation? God is far more concerned with why and how we give than what we give. If you have ever felt pressure or guilt in this area, please hear God’s heart today: He desires your heart, not your money. He wants your giving to be a joy, not a heavy burden. The solution is not to quit giving, but rather to invite God to change our hearts and perspective. Pray that God would give you the joy of generosity, the kind that the Macedonian believers experienced. They found such delight in giving that their difficult circumstances couldn’t stop them. In fact, “their abundant joy and their extreme poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity” (2 Cor. 8:2). Joy, not wealth, was the source of their generosity.

Perhaps you’ve never experienced giving as a joy. That’s okay – we grow into it. Start where Paul instructs: decide in your heart what to give. Prayerfully consider what amount or what commitment you can give with a grateful heart, and let that be your offering. It may help to remember all that God has graciously given you – life, salvation, daily mercies. Cultivate thankfulness, and you will find joy in giving back. Also, remember that our giving, however small or large, when combined together, accomplishes much for God’s kingdom and brings praise to Him. The Jerusalem church would glorify God because of the Corinthian gift (2 Cor. 9:13-14); in the same way, people are blessed by your gifts – whether it’s supporting missionaries, helping the poor, keeping our church ministries going, or aiding a brother or sister in crisis. Your generosity makes a real difference, and God is praised for it.

I also want to thank you as a congregation. I have witnessed your generosity in many ways – your support for our church, your help for those among us in need, and your contributions to missions and charities. These are evidence of God’s grace in you, and they bring Him glory . “The surpassing grace of God” is indeed at work in this church (2 Cor. 9:14). I encourage you to excel still more in this grace of giving (8:7), not out of any compulsion, but because it is a joyous privilege. Giving is not merely a duty but a delight – a chance to participate in what God is doing.

Conclusion: Thanks Be to God for His Indescribable Gift

In closing, let us fix our eyes on God’s own generosity. After urging the Corinthians to give cheerfully, Paul bursts into praise: “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Cor. 9:15). We know that God’s indescribable gift is Jesus Christ, and all the grace and salvation given through Him . Every other act of giving finds its meaning in His gift to us. We can never outgive God, for He has given us the greatest treasure – eternal life in His Son. All our cheerful giving is a response of worship to the God who has given us everything. When we remember Jesus – His sacrifice, His love – our hearts are moved to give, not out of shame or force, but out of gratitude and love.

Beloved, God loves a cheerful giver because cheerful giving reflects a heart that truly loves God. It is evidence of grace, faith, and love in action. My prayer for us as a church is that we embrace this truth and experience the joyful freedom that comes with generosity. May our giving always be willing, thankful, and filled with faith – the kind of giving that makes God smile. And may it be said of us that our generosity brought forth many thanksgivings to God.

Thank you for reading this letter and for your sincere desire to grow in Christ. I am grateful to be your pastor and to witness God’s grace at work in you. Let’s encourage one another in this grace of giving. May our lives overflow with the same cheerful generosity that God has shown toward us.

With sincere love and gratitude, I remain

In His Service and Love,

The Right Reverend Carlton Howell Jr