
Sunday, April 3
THE PRACTICE OF GIVING by Seth Botts
Reflection
Why are talks of money so hard? Why do they make me so uncomfortable? In a world where accumulation of resources carries so much social value, it is hard to trade those resources for something intangible. For me, in order to open my heart to giving, I had to first let go of the transactional expectation that I have associated with money for so long. As with any practice, I had to start with what I was comfortable with and be consistent. Then as my comfort level grew and my heart opened, I was able to grow in my giving. I have to remind myself that I am not entitled to wealth or prosperity, that I do not own anything. I am simply a steward of resources.
I must admit that there have been times when I have regressed and lowered my giving because I allowed expectations or hurt to guide my actions. I must allow myself to receive God’s grace and grow, recognizing that growth is not linear. Even when I regress, I must remain consistent in the understanding that I am but a steward.
What areas in my life has consistent practice allowed for growth? Am I willing to view giving in the same way?
Prayer
Almighty God, please help me with the willingness to consistently give with an open heart. Help me remember that I am but a steward of my financial resources and let go of the transactional expectation that I associate with money. Amen.
A practice to try this week:
This week I commit to being conscious of areas where consistent practice has helped me grow. I commit to be willing to see my financial resources in the same regard.
Why are talks of money so hard? Why do they make me so uncomfortable? In a world where accumulation of resources carries so much social value, it is hard to trade those resources for something intangible. For me, in order to open my heart to giving, I had to first let go of the transactional expectation that I have associated with money for so long. As with any practice, I had to start with what I was comfortable with and be consistent. Then as my comfort level grew and my heart opened, I was able to grow in my giving. I have to remind myself that I am not entitled to wealth or prosperity, that I do not own anything. I am simply a steward of resources.
I must admit that there have been times when I have regressed and lowered my giving because I allowed expectations or hurt to guide my actions. I must allow myself to receive God’s grace and grow, recognizing that growth is not linear. Even when I regress, I must remain consistent in the understanding that I am but a steward.
What areas in my life has consistent practice allowed for growth? Am I willing to view giving in the same way?
Prayer
Almighty God, please help me with the willingness to consistently give with an open heart. Help me remember that I am but a steward of my financial resources and let go of the transactional expectation that I associate with money. Amen.
A practice to try this week:
This week I commit to being conscious of areas where consistent practice has helped me grow. I commit to be willing to see my financial resources in the same regard.
Posted in Lent Devotional 2022
Recent
Archive
2023
2022
January
February
March
M-Note 3.1.22Lenten Devotional // Day 1Lenten Devotional // Day 2Luke: The Gospel For Rebels Week 5Lenten Devotional // Day 3Lenten Devotional // Day 4Lenten Devotional // First SundayLenten Devotional // Day 5Lenten Devotional // Day 6Lenten Devotional // Day 7Lenten Devotional // Day 8Lenten Devotional // Day 9Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 1Lenten Devotional // Day 10Some Assembly RequiredLenten Devotional // Second SundayLenten Devotional // Day 11Lenten Devotional // Day 12Lenten Devotional // Day 13Lenten Devotional // Day 14Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 2Lenten Devotional // Day 15Lenten Devotional // Day 16M-Note 3.20.22Lenten Devotional // Third SundayLenten Devotional // Day 17Lenten Devotional // Day 185 Benefits to Embracing Your Uncertainty of GodLenten Devotional // Day 19Lenten Devotional // Day 20M-Note 3.24.2022Lenten Devotional // Day 21Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 3Lenten Devotional // Day 22Lenten Devotional // Fourth SundayLenten Devotional // Day 23Lenten Devotional // Day 24Lenten Devotional // Day 25Lenten Devotional // Day 26
April
Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 4M-Note 4.1.2022Lenten Devotional // Day 273 Implications of God's Humanity on YoursLenten Devotional // Day 28Lenten Devotional // Fifth SundayLenten Devotional // Day 29Lenten Devotional // Day 30Lenten Devotional // Day 31Lenten Devotional // Day 32Following Jesus: Some Assembly Required – Week 53 Misunderstandings of Easter that Impact YouLenten Devotional // Day 33Lenten Devotional // Day 34Lenten Devotional // Palm SundayLenten Devotional // Day 35Lenten Devotional // Day 36Lenten Devotional // Day 37M-Note 4.14.2022Lenten Devotional // Day 38 Maundy ThusdayLenten Devotional // Day 39 Good FridayLenten Devotional // Day 40 Holy SaturdayLenten Devotional // EasterMysterious You: How your union with God makes you divineM-Note 4.20.2022No Filter: See The Real You – Week 14 Ways Embracing Your Sin Serves the WorldM-Note 4.28.2022No Filter: See The Real You – Week 2
May
3 Reasons You Should Embrace Your WeirdnessM-Note 5.5.22No Filter: See The Real You – Week 3Identify Your Purpose and Empower Your FutureM-Note 5.12.22No Filter: See The Real You – Week 4Confidently Approach Life as a Second ChanceLearning to Enjoy LIFE by Eliminating DistractionsUncomplicating the “God” Question to Simplify Spirituality
Categories
Tags
1 Kings 3
1 Kings
1 Timothy
2 Corinthians 9:5-7
Belden Lane
Beyond Simple
Celebrate
Change
Christ
Commit
Confidence
Denee Bowers
Distractions
Divine Love
Doubt
Easter
Ephesians
Equity
Five Shared Practices
Focus
Frederick Buechner
Fresh Take
Friends
Generosity
God
Gratitude
Holy Ambiguity
Hope
Humanity
Identity
Jesus
John 21
John
Joy
Kids
King Solomon
Life
Limitations
Longing
Matthew
Nadia Bolz-Weber
No Filter
Open
Parables
Parenting
Patience
Paula D'Arcy
Paula D\'Arcy
Paula D\\\'Arcy
Paula D\\\\\\\'Arcy
Paul
Privilege
Proverbs 1
Proverbs
Psalms
Purpose
Questions
Redeem
Rejoice
Righteousness
Sabra Engelbrecht
Second Chance
Self-Love
Struggle
Success
Timothy
Uncertainty
Untethered
Vision
Weird
acts
adulting
advice
challenge
commitment
creation
deconstruction
deconstruct
faith
finances
fitness
forgiveness
forgiving
foundation
freedom
give
growth
kelley weber
love
meister eckhart
money
mystery
new life
opportunity
reconstruction
reconstruct
redemption
relationships
responsibility
simplify
sin
social
thomas merton
transition
truth
willingness
willpower
will
young adult
No Comments