How do I become a better giver?

[Barricade24]

I am having struggle right now. I know God wants us to help the poor and I have no problem giving out to those who need it. The problem instead is that I am too afraid to go up to those people and give them the what they need. You see I am not Mr. Social who is able to go out of his way for everyone he meets. Being like this makes me afraid to go out because I know there will be poor people there and I will fall victim to my fear making sin again.

Is there any advice you can give me to help me overcome this? Or are the other ways I can give without having to deal with my shyness?

 

[Pal Handy]

I am having struggle right now. I know God wants us to help the poor and I have no problem giving out to those who need it. The problem instead is that I am too afraid to go up to those people and give them the what they need. You see I am not Mr. Social who is able to go out of his way for everyone he meets. Being like this makes me afraid to go out because I know there will be poor people there and I will fall victim to my fear making sin again.

Is there any advice you can give me to help me overcome this? Or are the other ways I can give without having to deal with my shyness?

Pray and tell this to your Heavenly Father.
Tell Him you want to do more to be like Christ.

Ask the Father in Jesus name to direct your life in such a way that
you will be doing what He wants and not what you think He wants.

You have a desire to help others...right?

Ask God the Father for His help in Jesus name to show you want He wants
you to do and to give you opportunities and the courage to do what He wants, when and where He leads you.

God can show you.
God can give you strength.
God can make the opportunities happen.
God can and will lead you when you invite Him to have His way in your life.

This is a relationship, not a contest or performaced based endevour.

Jesus came to do the will of His Father, which His Father showed Him
clearly when, where and what to do as God the Father empowered Him to do it.

We are to be like Christ so we are to offer ourselves to God through Christ
as we ask God the Father in Jesus name to give us His works for our lives
so that we will glorify God the Father through Jesus Christ, God the Son.

A good read for you is called Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray in
which Murray outlines our part and God's part in this walk and
relationship we have with Him in Christ.

Hope this helps..

 

[Knee V]

Perhaps you can find someone that you trust and give them something for a needy person you have in mind so that that person can deliver it on your behalf.

 

[BFine]

We give to feeding programs here in town and to the Salvation Army.
We also volunteer.

I also buy gift cards and hand them to individuals who are seeking food who are
on the street corner. I don't get into long conversations with them,
sometimes I don't say anything. If I do talk, I say hello and here's a little
something for you...then I handover the gift card.

I don't give money to folks on the street because it draws the wrong sort of
attention especially if other homeless folks are around.
(I'm a woman so I do take precaution.)

Depending on where you live and whether or not you know the area,
it's generally best to give to the Salvation Army or to a place that feeds/
and shelters homeless folks...you can even ask if they need volunteers.

Some shopping places here won't allow homeless folks inside due to them
being so dirty and smelly...if I see such a person with a cardboard sign
asking for help-- I go buy them a boxed dinner and a large bottle of water.

I would encourage you to connect with a local outreach in your area...does
your church offer any type of help to the less fortunate?

 

[Barricade24]

Pray and tell this to your Heavenly Father.
Tell Him you want to do more to be like Christ.

Ask the Father in Jesus name to direct your life in such a way that
you will be doing what He wants and not what you think He wants.

You have a desire to help others...right?

Ask God the Father for His help in Jesus name to show you want He wants
you to do and to give you opportunities and the courage to do what He wants, when and where He leads you.

God can show you.
God can give you strength.
God can make the opportunities happen.
God can and will lead you when you invite Him to have His way in your life.

This is a relationship, not a contest or performaced based endevour.

Jesus came to do the will of His Father, which His Father showed Him
clearly when, where and what to do as God the Father empowered Him to do it.

We are to be like Christ so we are to offer ourselves to God through Christ
as we ask God the Father in Jesus name to give us His works for our lives
so that we will glorify God the Father through Jesus Christ, God the Son.

A good read for you is called Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray in
which Murray outlines our part and God's part in this walk and
relationship we have with Him in Christ.

Hope this helps..

I have indeed done this. I have told God that would like to better serve him by helping those who are need of things. I mean it is one thing if I didn't want to help the poor at all. Which thankfully, isn't the case here. It is completely another to want to help the poor but lack the will to carry out. I will have to trust God in his timing. I know when the Spirit really urges you to do something, it is very hard to resist him.

Perhaps you can find someone that you trust and give them something for a needy person you have in mind so that that person can deliver it on your behalf.

An interesting thought I will keep that in mind.

We give to feeding programs here in town and to the Salvation Army.
We also volunteer.

I also buy gift cards and hand them to individuals who are seeking food who are
on the street corner. I don't get into long conversations with them,
sometimes I don't say anything. If I do talk, I say hello and here's a little
something for you...then I handover the gift card.

I don't give money to folks on the street because it draws the wrong sort of
attention especially if other homeless folks are around.
(I'm a woman so I do take precaution.)

Depending on where you live and whether or not you know the area,
it's generally best to give to the Salvation Army or to a place that feeds/
and shelters homeless folks...you can even ask if they need volunteers.

Some shopping places here won't allow homeless folks inside due to them
being so dirty and smelly...if I see such a person with a cardboard sign
asking for help-- I go buy them a boxed dinner and a large bottle of water.

I would encourage you to connect with a local outreach in your area...does
your church offer any type of help to the less fortunate?

I believe it does. I would probably be able to do this a lot better if I was in a group of people. That would make me feel a letter easier about the whole situation. I will have to explore that option.

 

[true2theword]

I am having struggle right now. I know God wants us to help the poor and I have no problem giving out to those who need it. The problem instead is that I am too afraid to go up to those people and give them the what they need. You see I am not Mr. Social who is able to go out of his way for everyone he meets. Being like this makes me afraid to go out because I know there will be poor people there and I will fall victim to my fear making sin again.

Is there any advice you can give me to help me overcome this? Or are the other ways I can give without having to deal with my shyness?

He who overcomes shall inherit all things,[a] and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8 But the COWARDLY, unbelieving,[b] abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”



overcome your shyness

 

[Pal Handy]

I have indeed done this. I have told God that would like to better serve him by helping those who are need of things. I mean it is one thing if I didn't want to help the poor at all. Which thankfully, isn't the case here. It is completely another to want to help the poor but lack the will to carry out. I will have to trust God in his timing. I know when the Spirit really urges you to do something, it is very hard to resist him.

God sees your heart and knows your willingness to help so keep
surrendering your life to Him in all areas and trust that God is
preparing you for His purposes and glory.

Do not be anxious but instead trust that God is able to work out His
plan and purposes for your life.

I personally think that waiting on the Lord is one of the hardest things
we can do because we come to a place where we are willing to give
God our all and He dosen't act immediately as we think He should.

God sees the big picture so we must surrender even our zeal and desire
to serve Him into His hands so that He will have His way and we will not
be running around doing what we think is His will.

It really is a relationship God calls us to and not us being on autopilot
running out far ahead of Him and missing what He has put under our
very noses to do.

God loves you and He is very pleased to see your desire to serve Him but
even more than what you can do for Him, he desires your trust and a
deeper relationship with Himself.

Many miss this and so they replace the relationship with "doing God's work" but
God wants us to put Him first in all things, even what we can do for His glory.

Hope this helps....

Abide in Him and you will bear fruit, it is impossible not to
bear fruit as we grow closer to and abide in our relationship
with God in Christ...

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

I am having struggle right now. I know God wants us to help the poor and I have no problem giving out to those who need it. The problem instead is that I am too afraid to go up to those people and give them the what they need. You see I am not Mr. Social who is able to go out of his way for everyone he meets. Being like this makes me afraid to go out because I know there will be poor people there and I will fall victim to my fear making sin again.

Is there any advice you can give me to help me overcome this? Or are the other ways I can give without having to deal with my shyness?

Hi. God has not given us a spirit of fear...but of love, power, and a sound mind. ALLOW God to mold you into a Vessel that takes intitiative , that puts faith into action steps , and that stirs your heart with compassion. Ask him to do it , then surrender to his leading a day at a time.

What i do when i see a homeless person on the street asking for money, is, I dont give them any money because a large percentage of them will drink it away or get drugs for a temporary high. Instead, i go thru a nearby McDonalds or Burger King and buy them a combo meal . I wouldnt deal one on one with a Homeless person because im afraid too many of them are not in their right mind and may attack or rob you. But giving them a meal is an act of Christs love , then pray for them. If you can find out where the nearest Shelter is, then let them know. Plus, you could help out at a Shelter with other people present.

But as Christians...we need to get with the program of serving God and Others otherwise our Faith doesnt count for much. If we are available, and do Gods work in the world...we will store up treasure for ourselves in heaven too. Everyone wins. To be idle as a Follower of Christ is perhaps the biggest crime of all , so, ask God to branch you out by getting filled with boldness . If your shy, dont focus on that ; focus on taking steps forward with God at your side....for....thats what makes the christian life so great.

Regards.

 

[Barricade24]

God sees your heart and knows your willingness to help so keep
surrendering your life to Him in all areas and trust that God is
preparing you for His purposes and glory.

Do not be anxious but instead trust that God is able to work out His
plan and purposes for your life.

I personally think that waiting on the Lord is one of the hardest things
we can do because we come to a place where we are willing to give
God our all and He dosen't act immediately as we think He should.

God sees the big picture so we must surrender even our zeal and desire
to serve Him into His hands so that He will have His way and we will not
be running around doing what we think is His will.

It really is a relationship God calls us to and not us being on autopilot
running out far ahead of Him and missing what He has put under our
very noses to do.

God loves you and He is very pleased to see your desire to serve Him but
even more than what you can do for Him, he desires your trust and a
deeper relationship with Himself.

Many miss this and so they replace the relationship with "doing God's work" but
God wants us to put Him first in all things, even what we can do for His glory.

Hope this helps....

Abide in Him and you will bear fruit, it is impossible not to
bear fruit as we grow closer to and abide in our relationship
with God in Christ...

So if I understand correctly, when am capable of giving God will let me know?

 

[Knee V]

Giving is like running. It's always difficult when we're not doing it, and when we're not doing it we don't really want to start. But once we start doing it, it becomes easier with time, and we begin to enjoy it more as well, and we look forward to it.

God wants us to give, and we are already able to give. We just need to trust that God is going to help us do it, and then get up and do it. Perhaps we'll only give a little bit at first, but that's better than giving nothing at all.

 

[amandatea]

Sometimes, if it is at all possible (and it usually is), we need to step outside of our comfort zones and do things we're afraid to do. Especially when it's to do God's work. And when you think of what God's work is - to SHOW love by actions - it is worth it. It will be scary or intimidating at first, but once you start doing things, it will get easier and easier.

I heard a saying once (and I know this isn't exactly what you're asking about, but I think it applies) which went along the lines of saying that outgoing people are just as afraid to approach people they don't know as shy people, but they are just more apt to get over it and do it anyway. I don't know if that's true because I was always a quiet, introverted and shy person growing up, so you'd have to ask a naturally outgoing person whether or not this is accurate.

As Dave said, God has not given us, Christians, a spirit of fear. Also, many places throughout the Bible, Jesus commands us to have no fear, for I am with you. Don't take that lightly. It's there for a reason. It also takes trusting God to take steps of faith, of course.

You don't have to be going up to homeless people in order to help (although, if a homeless person approaches you asking for help, the loving thing would to be to help them if you reasonably could, like Dave gave an example of. And remember ".......I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me." Matt 25:40). You could volunteer time to help at a shelter or food bank. You could orchestrate donation drives - or just donate things of yours. Many other "little" things which could really help someone. Spend time talking to God about it. Ask Him to show you what you have the means and ability to do, and what is a ministry that you have a heart for. There is so much that we can do which we sometimes don't even realize the capacity it has to impact someone else's lives.

 

[Peripatetic]

The problem instead is that I am too afraid to go up to those people and give them the what they need.

It isn't always wise to give to the person directly... they may spend the money in ways that are not beneficial. I'm a firm believer in supporting local food banks and homeless shelters with donations and volunteer work (if you feel called to do so). That way you know they money goes to necessities. You may also want to give to well-respected national or international charities that provide for the poor. You could also find out how to give to the poor through your church (poor box, special collections, etc.).