How can I tithe when I can barely pay my bills?

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      Many people today are barely getting by. Some don’t make enough to pay their bills.
They’re living check to check; robbing Peter to pay Paul,

only to continue the vicious cycle next month.
      Some don’t know the meaning of delayed gratification by sacrificing what they need,
just to get what they want; spending money they don’t have.
      On the other hand, there are some who have jobs, then their spouse gets laid off, causing
the family to survive on one income.
      Some might be in the middle of a divorce, with increased expenses or possibly facing
medical expenses that exceed the family’s budget.

And the list just goes on, and on.
      So what do you do when your bills are more than what you make, and you seriously can’t
afford to tithe without a bill not getting paid?
      It’s simple. Give what you have.

Tithe What You Have
      God looks at our hearts. Good stewardship requires knowledge of kingdom principles,
and having the faith to take the necessary steps to practice them. As we confess God’s Word,
we begin to strengthen our faith. As a result, it motivated us to give what belongs to God, no
matter what our budget looked like!

Growing In Faith To Tithe
      In order to have faith to tithe, one must first learn what God says about giving and
receiving. And only when one understands this, can one give without fear.

However, keep in mind, this process takes time.
      If you’re in a bad financial situation now, just learning these principles won’t get you out
of your situation overnight. It will take time, and it will require you to put your faith in action.
Which means, you must practice your faith by trusting God right where you are regarding your finances.

Financial Assessment
      You must acknowledge where you are with your current financial situation, and determine
what you can give God right now. This is accomplished not only by creating a budget, but also
looking at your spending habits. Taking an honest assessment of your budget, by identifying
your legitimate needs and what’s on your budget that are simply wants.

The hardest part is going to be making the appropriate adjustments.

When things aren’t adding up, it’s time to startsubtracting.
      If you can’t afford to tithe, but somehow have the money to purchase your wants, you
can’t expect God to supernaturally provide when you’re spending what belongs to Him. Sorry
for the tough love. But if you want God to put a super on your natural, you’re going to have to
start spending your money differently.
      After looking over your budget, if you still don’t have enough, you have no choice but to
pay what you can and trust God for the rest.

Today, I want to encourage you to start with what you have. And add what you can commit to
God on your budget. Let’s say, after you pay all your bills, you have $50 left over from each
paycheck. Instead of thinking, well since I can’t afford to tithe, I’m not going to give anything.
      Instead, purpose to give God something from each paycheck out of that $50.
     

We’ve all heard the story about the widow’s mite in Mark 12, right?
“Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in
their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. Then a poor widow came and dropped
in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor
widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. For they gave a tiny
part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.”

~ Mark 12:  41-44 NLT

      You see; she gave all she had to live on. She gave from what she had. It might be easier for
some to give God 10% when there’s enough money coming in. Although, for some who are
barely getting by, that 10% seems unfathomable.
      However, if God is stirring something inside of you right now, and you have the faith of a
mustard seed, give $5, $10 or $20 or whatever you can. The key to your success of giving
10% is to be consistent, with increasing your giving, as you’re able, until you reach 10%.

Bring Your Tithe
      Malachi 3:10 tells us to bring all our tithes (1/10th) to the storehouse (meaning your
church). Many of us give our work 1/3 of our time every day, but we struggle with giving God
1/10th of what belongs to Him.

 

  edited from website   https://livingourpriorities.com/seriously-cant-afford-tithe/

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