Simple Ways to Give More - Giving for a Living is a Choice

Simple Ways to Give More - Giving for a Living is a Choice:

Giving by guilt is the motivation we're most familiar with. 'Wanna give a dollar to Jerry's kids?' asked the young Taco Bell employee begrudgingly. Guilt. 'Oh yeah, I guess so,' you reply. 'Why not?'
You can feel it can't you? That sense of guilt that momentarily got you doing unnaturally what you know in your heart, ought to come naturally. Oh, it's not that you don't want to help in the fight against Muscular Dystrophy. You believe in the mission; you believe in all of those good things that people are fighting for as long as they are biblical and advance the Kingdom, but if you feel 'guilted into it,' you usually don't find joy in doing it. Yet if we aren't made aware of such needs, how are they to be satisfied?
That's why making a conscious choice to give a generous amount mostly with planned giving and a small amount with joyous spontaneity works for me. I set my heart like a thermostat toward the purposes of God each day. I am reminded of key verses such as Matthew 6:33 which command me to do so but I find peace and joy in the shadow of His will and purpose. And I know that by 'paying it forward' he will receive the glory and praise for whatever happens in my life.
Surely, our freedom to choose is God's greatest gift to us. And fortunately, we have the freedom to choose an attitude of Giving for a Living every single day!"