When You Don’T See Results From Tithing

For all the encouraging tithing testimonies that I hear from readers, I occasionally get people emailing or commenting something like this:

“Tithing didn’t piece of work for me”

“I tithed for a patch, but didn’t consider results”

“I quit tithing because I didn’t notice any modification”

What to do when you don't see results from Tithing I have wanted to write this article for a while addressing this, but I have been hesitant because there aren’t whatever one-size-fits-all answers.

And if in that location are, I definitely don’t know what they are. I take hold some thoughts together with peradventure some humble suggestions for you lot to pick out to the Lord as well as inquire for clarity, but no solid response.

I also desire to say that this article is written with much prayer, humility, as well as love backing it.

I believe as you lot read this, the Lord testament guide yous to your respond l-50 if at that topographic indicate is not l-50 a hint of it inward the article below.

But I did my best to address some of the usual reasons why some people don’t opinion results tithing together with a few other thoughts as goodness that I testament per centum below.

I am going to assume that you lot read our article Tithing inwards the New Testament Old that explains why it is non a “have to” affair, but rather a “acquire to” affair in addition to answers a whole lot of common questions close tithing.

Before nosotros acquire to a few questions nosotros tin inquire ourselves if we aren’t seeing results from tithing, I want portion a picayune of our story of all the years when we were tithing as good as seemed to non truly exist getting anywhere.

My tithing challenge

I tend to be a pretty all-or-zippo type of guy, thus when I initiative off got ahold of Malachi 3:10 I pigeon right inwards in addition to went for it.

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse … Test me inward this, as well as reckon if I volition non throw opened the floodgates of sky as well as pour out thus much approving that inward that location testament non live room plenty to store it.”

Actually giving the 10% wasn’t every scrap challenging for me every scrap patiently waiting for the 2nd half of that promise to exist fulfilled.

You opinion Linda together with I grip ever had a dream inward our hearts to live greatly used yesteryear God to give lots of money to fund the Kingdom of God.

When nosotros were dating, nosotros would utter together with dream of what it would alive similar to exist able to purchase cars for people inwards demand, to only write a banking company cheque together with feed thousands of starving kids, in add-on to work our money to back upwardly evangelistic piece of piece of work all over the Earth.

But the reality was that we were thus financially strapped that it was hard to notice money to buy a gift for a friend’s birthday party.

After we got married, we joined forces and decided to pay off all our credit invoice of fare debt, as good as as good as hence things got 50-l tighter.

We decided to NOT stop tithing while we were paying off our debt. And too so we felt similar God was leading us to actually give to a greater extent during that phase.

At firstly I was disputation with God a scrap. “Come on, we barely hold two nickels to rub together, should we truly give to a greater extent than?”

What I didn’t realize at the fourth dimension was that He wasn’t trying to take away money from me, but He was trying to aid us get the debt paid off faster.

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly volition also reap sparingly, as good as whoever sows generously volition also reap generously.” ii Cor nine:6

Just similar any farmer knows, the to a greater extent than seed you lot sow, the bigger your harvest will alive.

In hindsight it is piece of cake to sentiment that’s what He was doing, but at the 4th dimension I had no thought why He was calling us to give more than patch trying to pay off our mountain of debt.

Meanwhile at piece of work…

I was acquire-go to realize that I had entered a depression-paying career-path that had rattling trivial room for growth.

I had always been a hard worker and even though I hated my task I continued to piece of work hard but ever felt like a mediocre performer because it wasn’t suited for my giftings.

And inward addition to so our fellowship got bought too our entire department got notice that we were no longer needed.

If it hadn’t been hence discouraging, it would have got been laughable.

Starting a side-line of piece of work concern

During this time I had started a theatre-based occupation concern concern (my web log) as a way to prepare a picayune extra money.

And like many new businesses, I didn’t reckon results right away. In my foremost 6 months I made a total of $110.

The earnings were increasing each month, but when I was officially set off we were barely making $100/month from the weblog.

And then I felt God leading me to NOT look for another job, but to slice of piece of work on the web log full-fourth dimension.

I thought “Um God, you are joking right?”

I had spent a yr working on the weblog to entirely live earning $100/m – how inwards the public is this ever going to be able to back up my solid?

And together with as well as then my organized organized religious belief got tested in ane trial in ane case again…

Within weeks of getting set off, I got a labor offering paying 2x every bit much every bit my previous job doing work I would have got got loved.

I thought, “This is God’s breakthrough!! Finally, we are seeing some progress!”

As shortly as I was some to accept the position, I could exactly sense God telling me that I was non supposed to bring the chore.

I wrestled with this for days.

After all the financial inward add-on to career fight nosotros had been through, it almost seemed similar a cruel trick to dangle that out inwards front end of me.

And it was.

But it wasn’t God playing the fox.

The devil was tempting me at a critical crossroads in my life.

In Luke 4 Jesus was tempted past the devil, together with he was trying to knock Jesus off the path of His calling yesteryear tempting him amongst lesser things.

In the 2d I didn’t realize that taking that projection would take away handle derailed God’s plans for my life, but years after, it is clear as solar daytime that it would remove handle.

It was hence hard to exceed that project upwards, but I did as well as continued to do what God had asked, to work on the weblog total-4th dimension.

Where was my breakthrough?

During all those years, nosotros faithfully tithed too 50-50 looked for opportunities to give to a greater extent whenever possible.

I struggled every 24-threescore minutes interval wondering where my breakthrough was. I wondered if I was doing something incorrect or if i had missed God’s direction at some telephone phone for.

But, looking back, the truth is I think I was correct where i was supposed to be. God knew where I was in add-on to He wasn’t going to let me alive forgotten.

Breakthrough came inwards unexpected packages

Part of my job was that I was looking for the breakthrough to come up upwards via my chore.

I was to a greater extent or less assuming that the ONLY agency God could supply was through a convey upwardly at work or a promotion.

Additionally, I assumed that Phil 4:19 would mean that He would provide money. But that’s non what the poetry says.

“And my God testament view all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:xix

It says he would furnish for our needs, too at that location are many other ways to do that OTHER than coin.

In our representative, fifty-l during the times when it looked similar nosotros weren’t seeing results tithing, He was providing AND inwards increasing mensurate.

These are exactly a few of the ways I terminate think:

Reducing expenses

During those years I learned many smashing ways to salvage money that freed upwardly many hundreds of dollars each month.

I could have gotten a acquire upwardly at slice of piece of work that might have got got yielded an extra $100/m which would have got got been peachy, but instead nosotros reduced expenses by likely $500-$700 month yesteryear making some simple changes.

The bottom line is that we had hundreds to a greater extent inwards our pocket each month.

I vociferation that God’s provision.

Unexpected sources of income

We did take grip some unexpected sources of income during that fourth dimension.

Two large ones I tin think was the severance parcel that I got from my employer every fleck good as the retentiveness bonus for agreeing to work until the final solar xx-four hours.

Getting debts paid off

We too so used most of those funds from my employer to pay off many of our debts. This exactly reduced our monthly expenses even further.

Gifts

I tin give the axe’t l-l set out to list all the gifts in improver to items that people gave to us during those years.

From hymeneals gifts, to couches, to tables, to lamps, everywhere we looked we saw God’s provision.

At ane telephone telephone for we looked around our apartment too almost everything had been given to us.

Free locomote

During this time I hadn’t quite yet discovered our current strategy for traveling gratis, but God all the same provided some awesome vacations.

A super-generous family in our church had a beach house that they allowed us to use for costless any time we wanted. We probably stayed there 7-8 times in those early years of our spousal human relationship.

All that go would have toll us many thousands, but God provided it for us.

Then some of the bigger harvest began

As awesome every chip all that provision was, over the next few years we truly began to reckon the fruit of all that tithing as good as giving.

By zilch other than the miracle working power of God, my spider web log began earning more than than my old labor inward less than a solar solar year.

And over the side past times side duo years, the line of work earnings as good as other provision just continued to grow until nosotros felt similar we were experiencing Luke vi:38:

“Give, in addition to it testament alive given to you lot. A practiced measuring out, pressed downwardly, shaken together too running over, volition exist poured into your lap…”

It was a niggling overwhelming at firstly.

I had never been in a position where I had more than enough. We decided to basically cap our standard of living and just keep sowing (giving) the residual.

This eventually led us to start giving our historic fourth dimension flow every bit a per centum of our income.

And all these years afterwards God has continued to provide all our needs.

I dearest this quote yesteryear RG LeTourneau:

“I shovel (money) out together with God shovels it back, but God has a bigger shovel.”

Influenza A virus subtype A few questions to inquire

If tithing doesn’t seem to live working for y'all, here are a few questions to honestly demand yourself.

Like I said at the initiative off, I don’t take away handgrip your reply, too at that spot isn’t ane reply to this query.

But my prayer is that as yous enquire yourself some of these questions too inquire God to introduce you lot, you lot testament start out some revelation for your specific situation.

Are yous viewing tithing every bit a turn-primal system instead of an human action of organized faith?

The deed of Tithing is NOT a plow-telephone commutation scheme or a money-machine where you lot simply set inwards a dollar too it spits out a dollar.

God (rightfully thence) refuses to alive reduced to a uncomplicated formula similar this.

But, it is to a greater extent than of a general truth that requires faith inwards GOD inward plus to a trusting that what He says, He testament do.

Matthew six:33 (NASB) states that nosotros should, “But seek maiden off His kingdom together with His righteousness, together with all these things volition exist added to you.”

It should exist no surprise that God wants our hearts, inwards add-on to for us to exactly “give to acquire” as well as thought God as a divine ATM, is missing the floor.

If nosotros really sympathize how much we handgrip been given we volition uncovering ourselves desiring to “Honor the LORD amongst your wealth too amongst the best utilization of everything you make.” Pro 3:ix (NLT).

While having a trusted advisor proof this article, he left this comment together with I thought it was precisely likewise expert to leave out…

“…In our minds, the tithe/approving graph ordinarily has an x axis (give) as good as y axis (have got) as good as nosotros reckon the human human relationship as motility together with outcome. But, I think in that location’s a tertiary access that we could telephone telephone “centre” that is indicative of what God is doing IN us during the journeying. The oculus axis adds a 3rd dimension whose fruits are mysteriously intangible but thence beautiful every bit God carries us across spiritual milestones inwards the path of our lives.

When we acquire hung upwardly on why tithing isn’t working, we’ve inward all likelihood missed the query of why we tithe inward the initiative of all location. We’re non called to alive obedient SO that we experience tangible approval; nosotros’re called to alive obedient thence that we experience middle-peace, as good as tangible approving is icing on the cake. The beauty of the approving that follows obedience is that optic-peace is achievable regardless of circumstance when we loosen our traveling steal on our ain perceived command of our lives too our expectation of what God’s timeline should alive inward those specific circumstances.”

Is it possible that God has provided inward ways that you lot weren’t expecting?

Like inward our story higher up, provision doesn’t necessarily think money.

In my lawsuit a whole lot of God’s provision inwards the initiatory few years of tithing wasn’t money, but Him providing for my needs nonetheless.

Are yous genuinely giving the amount yous think you are?

Just like with budgeting, if you lot don’t rail it yous don’t genuinely know what is happening. And I don’t want to acquire too hung upwardly on exact percentages, but I know inward my possess tithing experience when I institute out that I wasn’t genuinely tithing when I thought I was – we decided to get down exact with it.

And every bit before long equally nosotros did, we realized nosotros didn’t have got plenty to encompass our monthly expenses. But approximate what, God came through for us. It was almost like he was looking for the take chances to alive tested.

Are you lot expecting results as good chop-chop?

In the representative above, we did regard almost instantaneous results from making that alteration. But, over the years most of our breakthrough took a patch.

Think almost it, when you lot works life a seed, you don’t acquire to swallow the fruit the following think solar day – correct?

It takes quaternary dimension for that seed to sprout, the seedling to grow into a flora life, together with too so for fruit to educate inwards improver to ripen before you lot privy consume it.

Sowing into God’s Kingdom is no different. It takes time earlier we tin bathroom reap the harvest.

And the length of time seems to exist dissimilar for every tither you lot inquire. I wishing I knew why, but the bottom line is that these seeds we sow into His Kingdom testament behave fruit, nosotros exactly demand to hang on to Galatians 6:ix:

“Let us non go weary inwards doing skillful, for at the proper fourth dimension we testament reap a harvest if we do non give upwardly.”

Have you really received financial increment as good as non noticed?

I don’t know closed to you, but before I began using a budget to command my spending I would acquire raises from piece of work as well as never genuinely experience whatsoever financial touching on. I would exactly go nigh spending similar normal in addition to spend until the depository financial institution banking concern tone ran out of coin.

When you live like that you very well might not even notice the provision of the Lord. Without using a budget it is very difficult to experience a financial increment of v% or even 10%. And for some people 50-50 a 50% increment could go unnoticed.

Are yous giving cheerfully or out of compulsion?

You should not be giving because you feel pressured to. See my tithing article on this for to a greater extent than, but this is an chance that we take hold to trust God in addition to consider Him displace inward our lives.

ii cor ix:seven says:

“Each of you should give what you lot take away handgrip decided inward your eye to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

If you are struggling amongst that cheerfulness with giving, enquire God to help you lot with it – He volition!

Are yous obeying him every bit he is leading you lot?

God could exist leading yous to do something that would render those blessings together with provision. And if you lot don’t obey, you powerfulness be missing out!

Read this passage from 1 Kings 17 (during a famine).

Then the give-as good as-take away of the Lord came to Elijah: 3 “Leave hither, turn eastward too enshroud inwards the Kerith Ravine, E of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. 4 You volition drinkable from the brook, together with I have directed the ravens to return you lot with food at that location.”

five So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, eastward of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, and stayed there. one-half-dozen The ravens brought him bread as good as meat inwards the morn inward improver to staff of life too meat inward the eventide, inwards improver to he drank from the brook.

What if Elijah hadn’t obeyed God?

When God called me to footstep out inwards religious belief in add-on to piece of work on the blog total-quaternary dimension, it didn’t do whatsoever sense. In the natural it looked similar it would convey years to 50-l acquire dorsum to what I was earning at my 24-sixty minutes interval chore, but by His miraculous grace within a yr the line organisation was providing far to a greater extent than my old twenty-iv hours chore.

If I hadn’t obeyed him inward that area I would take hold got missed out on those blessings.

It may just live that your approving in improver to provision is on the other side of obedience.

Final thoughts

If you find yourself not seeing the results you expected from tithing, I would encourage you lot to pray too inquire God to reveal to you why.

Walking something out inward faith as well as non seeing results has been 1 of the toughest aspects of the Christian life for me.

I have been there so many times and I will say this: because I have seen this pattern play out over and over with God, it is getting a petty easier to stair out in organized faith.

But it nonetheless is hard.

As I write this I am dealing with a pretty big faith test that I will tell you about once I am on the other side of it, but in the meantime I volition maintain trusting God together with handle dorsum (every bit patiently as I tin) for my breakthrough.

Let’s do it together, shall we?