Trusting God with my Tithe
Should Christian women tithe?
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been exploring what it means to live with open hands.
We’ve discovered that generosity begins with God’s generosity toward us.
We’ve learned that open hands reveal hearts that trust Him.
We’ve seen kindness become the everyday expression of that trust.
So what about our finances?
But before you dismiss me, hear me out.
Tithing isn’t something we “have to do”, it’s what we ”get to do” as an act of worship, demonstrating that we trust God.
Giving becomes one way we express our gratitude to God from a place of peace and trust
Tithing Is An Act Of Trust
When we see our gifts, our resources, and our blessings as gifts from God, it becomes easy to see the kindness and goodness of His love for us.
Nothing we possess originated with us. Everything we have has first passed through the hands of a generous Father.
When we consider the free gift of salvation He provided for us in His Son, Jesus, trusting His love for us becomes another gift.
When we live with open hands and open hearts, trusting God to meet our needs, giving of our tithe then becomes an act of worship.
Tithing Is An Act Of Worship
Worship is not a set-aside time on Sunday morning when we congregate for our worship gatherings, it isn’t a style of music, and it’s deeper than being moved to an emotional response to the word of God.
All of these things are wonderful, but throughout Scripture, worship has always involved surrender. Paul describes worship this way:
I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship Romans 12:1 NIV
When our roots grow deep in Christ, generosity becomes a natural overflow instead of another obligation on our to-do list.
Because of that, we must first decide that our gifts are not ours to hoard, but rather to share.
We give because God gave generously to us.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us
Romans 5:8 NIV
For he chose us in him before the creation of the world
Ephesians 1:4 NIV
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life
John 3:16 NIV
💙We don’t give so God will love us.
💙We give because He already does.
Open Hands Mean Open Trust
Open hands don’t only release money.
- They release fear.
- They release control.
- They release comparisons.
- They release our need to know what tomorrow holds.
- They release everything into the Father’s care.
Giving back to God then becomes an act of worship. But worship comes with a cost.
The Cost Of Worship
In Old Testament times, worship involved sacrificing a perfect, unblemished animal to atone for sin.
Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away our sins, the perfect spotless Lamb, seated on the throne.
💙Jesus paid the cost our sin demands.
💙Our worship comes with a cost, too
Although Christ paid the price for our salvation, following Him still calls us to daily surrender.
The cost of our worship included:
- Laying down our pride and fear
- Getting rid of bitterness, resentment, and unforgiveness
- Letting go of past hurts like betrayal and rejection
- Surrendering our illusion of control
The cost of worship is that we sacrifice our opinions and beliefs if they don’t align with God’s word.
What Is A Tithe?
I’m so glad you asked. A Biblical tithe is one tenth of your income.
Some give from their net, others from their gross amount. This is a conviction that is between you and God.
The thing to remember is that God loves a cheerful giver.
When we come to God in prayer and faith, delighting in His word, giving from a place of love and devotion, God is honored in our tithe.
We Don’t Have To, We Get To
Growing up, my mother wanted me to learn the importance of honoring God with my tithe. But as a young girl, I heard her words through the ears of obligation instead of invitation.
While I now know what she meant, her words remind me that many Christian women believe giving is from a place of “I have to” instead of “I get to”.
At the end of the day, it comes down to our attitude about giving.
If we give from a place of expectation and seeking God’s approval, we’re missing the real blessing.
When we give from an open heart, seeing our gift as an offering of worship, we receive the blessing of knowing that we are held perfectly in His care.
Worship reminds us that the blessings we’ve received were never meant to be held with clenched fists.
They were meant to be offered back to God with open hands.
When we give our tithe, we are saying to God, “I trust you today, I trust you tomorrow, I trust you even when I can’t see ahead.”
💙God has never needed our money.
💙What He desires is our hearts.
Throughout this series we’ve discovered that generosity begins with God’s heart, grows through open hands, becomes visible through everyday kindness, and ultimately leads us to trust Him with every area of our lives—including our finances.
Giving has never been about losing something.
It’s about loosening our grip so we can experience the freedom of resting in God’s faithful provision.
As we’ve journeyed together this month, my prayer is that you’ve discovered something deeper than generosity.
I pray you’ve discovered the heart of a generous God.
Because when we truly know Him, open hands become the natural response of hearts that have learned to trust.
Rooted Reflection
🌿 READ
🌿 REFLECT
What area of my life am I still holding tightly instead of trusting God?
🌿 RESPOND
How is God inviting me to worship Him through greater trust this week?
🌿 REMAIN
Lord Jesus, everything I have already belongs to You. Teach me to live with open hands—not out of obligation, but from gratitude. Help me trust Your faithful provision and find joy in giving as an act of worship. Amen.
One More Thing…
If this month’s series has stirred a desire to know God’s Word more deeply and learn what it means to move from striving to abiding, I’d love to invite you to join
Rooted & Established.
A community for Christian women over 40 to encourage one another, and grow into women who are rooted in Christ and resilient in every season.
Together we’re learning to live with open hearts, open hands, and unwavering faith, one step of obedience at a time.
I’d love to save you a seat at the table.
BIBLICAL GENEROSITY:
- What Does it Mean to Live With Open Hands?
- What the Boy With Five Loaves Can Teach Us
- Six Ways to Show Kindness Today
- Trusting God With My Tithe
