Once again you're exhausted. You've put every ounce of strength you could muster and every minute you could spare and still your projectwhether business or personal, either wasn't finished in time or just didn't turn out right. It's probably fair to say that most of us face this type of scenario more often than we'd like. So often, in fact, that we chalk it all up to 'life' or 'that's just the way things are', etc.

What if I told you that this isn't just life or the way things just are? In Numbers 18:26 God introduced tithing by commanding the Levites to take up a 10% offering from the children of Israel. What does tithing have to do with all this? Everything. Our finances play a major role in our lives and here God is using them as an example to teach us the proper way in which we should manage not just our money but the rest of our affairs as well. Let's face it, for most of us our finances rule our lives. They tell us where we can go, what we can do, how much we can have, etc. It's probably safe to say that our finances are the largest, most important department of our lives. Everything that concerns us is somehow tied into them.

Well, isn't it funny then that in such a heavy area, God is only requiring 10% to be given back to the church? I mean, after what He did for us at Calvary and for what He continues to do for us on a daily basis, why doesn't he ask for 90% instead? Surely He's worth it? He's worth it all right, but He also realizes that none of us would survive giving that much. There's just no way. Well, if all we're required to give in the single most fundamental department of our lives is just 10%, then why are we breaking our backs to give 90% or plus in everything else? And look at what happens when we do. We struggle, fail, grow weary, and things almost never turn out right. Isaiah 55:9 explains this. For My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts are higher than your thoughts.

We, as God's children, are limited in our knowledge and need to recognize this. Whatever situation we face, we can only do so much and need to trust God to do the rest. Just because we expect or want something to turn out this way or that doesn't mean that's the way it's supposed to be. When we do anything over what we are rightly required to do, we actually begin to work against ourselves.

For example. They say marriage is fifty-fifty. This is true. Your 50% IS your 10%. Not all marriages are what we consider to be perfect, and some marriages really need a lot of work. But one partner can't do all the work and take all the responsibility alone. A marriage of this arrangement will never work. So do what you know is required of you and allow God to handle the rest. He can do exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think possible. In closing, if you're ready for some peace and real accomplishment in life, then start recognizing your limitation. Allow there to be an end to what you can do and a beginning to what God can do for you.

The Independent 15
April, 2007