One question I'm frequently asked is “Should I continue to tithe while I'm getting out of debt?” Or sometimes I get its close cousin “Why should I start tithing if I'm trying to get out of debt?” These are questions that don't always have an easy answer when you're a Christian trying to pay off debt.
I usually answer these questions by asking a few questions in return to help clarify your thought process, hopefully leading you to the answers you're looking for.
Already Tithing? 2 Questions For You
Are you already tithing but wondering if you should keep doing it while you're paying off debt?
Many people consider that if they stop tithing for awhile, that frees up some extra money to get their debts paid off quicker. Then, after they get out of debt, they'll start tithing again.
After all, if you've been giving 10% of your income and you start paying off debt with that money instead, you can knock out your debt at an incredibly fast pace!
Sounds like a solid plan.
But there are a few things to think about when considering that strategy. Here are some questions to ask yourself:
- Why are you tithing in the first place?- Most do it because they want to be obedient to God's teachings on giving. You've probably even experienced many of the blessings that come along with tithing and realize that obedience in that area helps you live a more blessed life.
- What happens if you stop tithing to pay down debt instead?- When you stop given a tenth of your income and use that money to pay off debt, you get the debt paid off much quicker. The math works so much better when you have more money to pay down your debt. That's a good thing, right?
Let't dig a little deeper below.
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Why Are You Giving a Tenth in the First Place?
When you first committed to giving a tenth, it was likely that you did it because you wanted to be obedient to God's word. Maybe you didn't understand all the true benefits of tithing at the time, but you decided to take the leap because you believed it was the right thing to do.
You trusted that God would live up to His Word, even if the math didn't make sense.
I know when I decided to start tithing, it was an extremely difficult decision for me. But ultimately, I knew that somehow, some way, God would bless me for trusting in His Word.
Anytime you can trust God with another part of your life, you'll be blessed because of it.
What if You Stop Tithing and Pay Off Debt Instead?
So if you stop tithing, the math says you'll be able to pay off your debt much faster. Depending on your circumstances, you will pay off your debt quickly and get back to tithing in short order.
After all, who wants to spend 2-3 years getting out of debt when you can do it in a year by putting tithing on hold? Does God really want you to be in debt another 2-3 years if you can tackle it faster?
It's only for a short time. Then once you're done with debt you can be even more generous than before!
The Consequences of Not Tithing
But the flip side of putting your tithing on pause is that you've eliminated a reason for God to bless your life and your finances. Quitting tithing means you're no longer being obedient to God with your finances.
When you stop tithing to pay off debt, it's impossible for His promises about tithing to manifest in your life. Those promises become null and void, keeping you from the benefits that make your life better.
You have to decide, is that a risk you want to take?
What Happens if You Keep Tithing While Paying Off Debt?
When you keep tithing while getting out of debt, it means you're continuing to be obedient to God's word. He will keep His hand on your situation and you'll continue to keep yourself open to the blessings that tithing brings to your life.
God will continue to work on your behalf and make sure things go your way in your quest to get out of debt. You will discover that more often than not, things will fall your way when you continue to give a tenth of your income.
Angie and I Continued to Give
Continuing to tithe or not while you're paying off your debt is a decision only you can make. There are advantages and disadvantages you can find to justify either option. You have to weigh those out prayerfully and come to the best decision you can.
In our own life, Angie and I made the decision to keep tithing while we paid off our debt, even though the math didn't work. We feel that was the best decision we could have made at the time, and that it was actually an advantage to our journey out of debt.
We wanted to make sure and keep God's favor on our journey and not risk missing out on His promises so we could pay off the debt quicker.
The interesting thing is that during that journey, several things happened unexpectedly that actually accelerated our ability to pay off debt. We believe that was God working on our behalf because we were being obedient to His words on tithing.
Was it God? Only He knows for sure. That's where faith enters the picture.
Should You Give a Tenth?
So the question remains- Should you tithe while getting out of debt? Only you can answer that question for yourself and your family. Weigh out the pros and the cons, ask the right questions, pray about it, and you'll come to the right decision.
In my next post I'll talk about whether you should get started tithing (if you're not a tither already) while you're getting out of debt, or wait till you've paid off the debt before you start.
Until then, a question…
Did you (or will you) continue tithing while you get out of debt?
Tell me about it by leaving a comment below.
Resources:
I have been tithing for 7 years in our debt journey and all God has blessed us with is financial devastation. How long do you keep putting yourself in more debt each year by tithing? I already lost my home, had to move 2 hours away from work to find something I could afford and i can barely tread water. I started with a 15 year payoff plan, and now its looking closer to 25 years. All the while I’ve been trusting God with our finances, but God didnt uphold his end of the bargain. I feel like a fool for ever trusting him, but am afraid to stop because God may punish me even more than He already has.
Hi Ann, I’m intrigued by your story. You’re saying you have gone into debt in order to tithe, and it has caused your financial situation to continually go downhill over the years. Obviously, this is not the result you should expect as a tither.
I don’t know any other details about your finances, so I can’t specifically address your situation. However, I can give you some insight from my experience that might help. You might recognize yourself in one or more of these scenarios.
One problem I’ve seen with many of my readers is that they are tithers, but they don’t manage the remainder of their money well at all. They stay in debt, don’t have control of their money, and generally don’t have a clue where all their money goes. They tithe, expecting things to change, but they never do anything else to be a good steward of what God has provided to them financially. The end result is they have more money going out than coming in, and their lack of good money management negates any blessings they might experience from tithing. You can’t be a slave to the lender, an overspender, an overall ineffective money manager, and expect to thrive financially, even if you’re a tither.
Another thing I’ve seen is the attitude of the heart when it comes to tithing. Some people expect wealth and financial blessings to magically appear when they start tithing. If/when it doesn’t happen, they develop an attitude and start doubting God. They question whether it’s worth it. They don’t understand why they aren’t seeing results that the Bible promises. But when it comes down to it, God brings the blessings in His own perfect timeline, not ours. It’s up to us to surrender it to God and let Him do His work. Too many of us pay our tithe faithfully, then wonder what we could have done with that money. We strive to figure out when our blessing is going to come and why it hasn’t happened yet. We spend time and energy trying to second guess and exert some kind of control instead of completely surrendering and trusting that God’s word is true. Giving tithes with the right attitude means you give it willingly, it brings you joy, and you forget about it once it leaves your hands. You surrender your money and attitude over to God, knowing His promises will become manifest in your life because your attitude is true.
Many people also don’t understand that tithing is not purely a financial transaction. It’s an action that will "open up the windows of Heaven" for you. This doesn’t mean you’ll put in a dollar and get ten dollars out. It means that tithing opens up God’s ability to bless you in many ways, including things like more peace in your life, better relationships, less stress, better finances, and any other blessings God can provide. But it’s easy to negate these blessings by having the wrong attitude or not being a good steward of what He has provided, whether it’s a little or a lot.
I don’t know if any of this will help you or not with your specific situation. But I can tell you that in my experience, these are the most common reasons people don’t receive the blessings they expect from tithing. Pretty much every tither struggles with these at some point. I know I have.
It’s all about surrendering. When you truly surrender the money, the attitude, and recognize that it all ultimately belongs to God and we are to manage it accordingly, things start falling into place.
I hope this was helpful.
My story is I completely trusted my life and finances to God. I knew where every penny went and we were beyond frugal. The problem is when you get hit with 30K a year in medical bills for 7 years straight because of a sick child no amount of being ‘frugal’ will help. We prayed and prayed and trusted God while we fell through every crack in the system. You become a slave to the lender and cannot do a thing about it. You dont even have the option to deny the medical treatment, because social workers override your options, they do not care that you cannot begin to pay it. Yet I foolishly kept tithing with an open heart because it was what God called me to do. But God never blessed us in any form, there was no peace, no relationships or support in our lives, unbearable stress, horrible job situations. God blessed me with my worst living nightmare and pure hell on earth.
Ann, it’s obvious you have had an extremely difficult time the last several years. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. I certainly don’t have all the answers to your problems. But I do know this- When you hand over control to Him, Jesus will walk with you through any situation, providing guidance and help along the way. Your situation will be resolved in His timing, and when that is, only He knows. But when you do your part to be faithful in every way you can, just know that He is acting on your behalf, whether you see it or not.
The best thing you can do is hand over all the stress, anxiety, and lack of peace over to Him. He can (and will) deal with it much better than you ever could. It’s a difficult thing to do, I know. But it will bring you peace during the storm that you never thought you could have. After suffering 4 heart attacks in 5 a year span, I’ve had to do it myself many times, and it’s one of the hardest things I’ve had to learn how to do in my life.
Now for some practical suggestions. I don’t know what you may have already tried when it comes to dealing with the medical bills, but there are a few things you can do.
First, talk to the hospital and see what they can do about your balance. If you go to them with a humble heart, they are usually willing to help on some level. If your income level just can’t support paying off the balance, they may be willing to forgive a portion of the balance to make it more affordable for you.
Also, many hospitals can refer you to charities that specifically help people pay off medical bills. If they don’t have any any information available, you may need to do your own research to find available help in your area.
Please know that when you continue to be faithful, God is working on your behalf whether you see it or not. He is walking with you through this, and when you eventually get through this, you will see His mercy and grace that He provided during the storm.
But this is my entire complaint, I did hand control over to Jesus, but He didnt provide guidance or help. His ‘being’ there was also worthless as there was no decrease of the stress or anxiety, just because He is in control does not mean that it will not be horrific. When you know you cannot even count on Jesus to provide food or shelter, how is there any peace that He is in control of you finances?
You are also delusional if you think hospitals will work with you or give any aid except for people who already get help from everywhere. No charities help, they laugh in your face.
You missed the part where there is no longer anything God could ever do to fix this situation, every last thing in this life and the next has been destroyed by it. There is no longer any getting ‘through’ this…Its already lost.
God failed me completely, whatever He does now will never come close to make up for what tithing during those years cost me. There is nothing God could ever do now to make up for how He failed to help me when be there in any positive way when I needed it the most.
My Husband and I have tithed for years and years. We have seen many provisions from God. We also give an offering on top of the tithe. We have never missed a tithe. Now we have found ourselves in two different financial crisis. We agreed to take our nephew in as a baby, because of a bad situation he was in at the time. He’s lived with us for 3-1/2 years, so we decided to adopt him. The legal battle and costs are tremendous! We have spent over $10,000 and it’s still not over. On top of that we bought a new home and have some other legal issues that have come against us. We feel like Satan has robbed us. These battles are so great! My Dad was just diagnosed with an aggressive cancer. Our family is going through so much. We still keep tithing and giving our offering, while penny pinching and trying to live as basic as we can. We feel as we are being punished instead of blessed. Our faith is being tested like never before. We are under tremendous stress and we feel stuck. We don’t feel those promises of blessings at all. We know we are blessed, but why should we suffer when obeying God’s word? Struggling to find an answer. We feel like we are getting a spiritual whipping instead of blessings. Pray for us!
I know it’s hard when you feel stuck, especially when you believe you are doing all the right things (and it sounds like you are). I’ve been there as well with a sick father and my income under attack.
We’re certainly not promised that we won’t have to endure suffering. But when you’re doing the right things and continuing to trust God with your situation, eventually you’ll make it through, usually in a much shorter time than if you weren’t. The great thing is, you always come out much better on the other side.
God is in the process of promoting you, and you will prosper you as you continue to trust Him! I know it’s hard to see it right now, but you (and God) got this!
My husband and I committed to tithing 23 years ago. At the time, we had a negative budget meaning that even before tithing, we didn’t have enough money coming in to pay our bills. Each time we didn’t think we would make it, an unexpected job would come up or a check would come in. During those 23 years, we paid back a business debt that many people would have filed bankruptcy on. This past year, we got an unexpected inheritance that allowed us to pay off our house. God has blessed us more times we can count. That is not to say that we didn’t have problems over the years. We had setbacks. Many times we were tempted to stop the tithing to catch up on things. Each time we chose to trust God. Each time we were blessed with some kind of windfall. My next plan is to slowly increase that 10%. You can never out give God.
Amen! Any time you choose to trust God and His ways over yourself, you’ll experience an abundance that is beyond what you can explain or contain!
Thank you Dr. Jason for the insight. I also believe tithing is as result of income earned.
My question is should one tithe from gross profit/ income for business or people on payroll. Also incase one is paying a loan should one tithe from net income? Thank you.
You don’t really need to tithe from the gross income of your business unless, for some reason, that is a part of your business plan. Tithe from what you personally get paid from the business, which is your personal increase. As to whether you tithe off your gross or your net, that’s up to you. However, I think it’s clear in the Word that you should tithe off your increase, which means tithing before you pay debt or anything else. Personally, I tithe off my gross earnings.
Thank you for you reply. In case one has taken a loan through his/her salary(tithe given on the gross) to start a business and the business profit forms part of repaying the loan. Should one tithe from the business.
What if you can’t pay all your bills, you tithe, and keep getting further into debt? This is my situation. It is a real one that my husband and I are struggling with right now. There have been times we paid our tithe, when we didn’t have the money to pay my bills because we’ve always been told that we should have faith and our needs would be provided for. But our needs weren’t provided for, and then we’re over-drafted, or forced to ask a relative to help us out. I’ll admit there were times I didn’t believe it was the responsible thing to do.
My husband works for a church and we’ve felt that many recent sermons were directed at us for having to ask the church for help in paying our rent, when we couldn’t pay our tithes or couldn’t pay a full 10%. There was no miracle check in the mail to relieve us, no magic donor, no one coming up to us at church to say they felt God telling them to give us something.
I’ve been through Dave Ramsey’s course and worked to pay off my debts, while tithing and giving above, then got laid off. A couple months later, no job results, so I start my own business (which I believe I was led to do) and while it is growing, we are trying to dig our selves out of the debt we accumulated in the process, at the end of our credit line.
I read my Bible, talk and listen to God everyday…everyday I spend my morning with Him and constantly ask for guidance. I feel my conflict lies more in what our pastor says, not in what God is telling me. I’ve always given when I felt urged by the Holy Spirit to do so in faith, but the times I didn’t and gave only proved to be disastrous.
I also have an issue with giving into a storehouse that doesn’t really provide for the needs of the members, or at least makes you feel like you’re doing something wrong if you have to ask. I do not see this in scriptures, just that everyone gave and their needs were met accordingly. We don’t lie about our giving, but it is quite embarrassing to even have to ask for assistance, but to be made to feel wrong for it b/c we couldn’t tithe…well it’s very emotional and hurtful, especially when hundreds of thousands of dollars are poured into a sound system and other frivolities for the facility. Plus he and other staffers been told not to ask for a raise. Why are we trying to earn God’s blessings? I thought they were freely given to those who love and serve him. Also doesn’t rain fall on the just and unjust? In Job, there is no mention of tithing for blessings or earning favor.
There is also the passage in the New Testament of the old woman who gave what she could…there is no mention to the percentage, but that even though the amount was small, it was all she had to give and that was a big deal to Christ. What about the Levites? Would you equate today’s church staff as modern day Levites? If so, how should they be taken care of? Shouldn’t everyone give and be given according to their need.
Also, what about tithing our time? We spend a lot of our time at the church and my husband has mandatory volunteer hours he serves as well. He cannot get a second job b/c he has no free time to do so. Honsetly, I feel these are points my husband can’t even mention to the pastor b/c he doesn’t think he’s wrong about anything or for fear of being let go. These issues are not just ours. They are echoed by a large portion of the staff. Thoughts?
Wow, there is a lot to unpack here! I’m not sure I’ll be able to answer all your questions adequately, but I’ll try to help get you moving in the right direction.
As for your tithing and not seeing results: You have to be careful about your attitude with giving. It’s easy to get disappointed with God because you see the promises He’s made about giving not coming into fruition. Just know that when you give without an attitude and of your free will, you will be rewarded for it in God’s perfect timing.
I had to go through this myself just a few years ago when my income was cut in half for several years. Now I’m making more than I ever have! But it took several years of stress and continuing to be faithful before I saw the results of that giving.
God recognized and blessed tithing even before the Levites existed. He is always a rewarder of giving when it’s done for the right reasons!
I don’t know how well you handle your money right now. But if you continue to go deeper into debt to fund your life and business, you’ll have a difficult time ever breaking the cycle. You may need to get a steady job for now and work your business on the side until it becomes profitable. Just do everything you can to make extra money and not incur any new debt.
As for your husband’s work situation and the attitude of the staff at church, that’s a difficult situation to tackle. On one hand, it is biblical to submit to their authority. On the other hand, if they are running the church in a manner not consistent with biblical principles, then you have to decide how to proceed. Will you call it to their attention and try to be an agent of change, or will you find another place to work and attend church? That will have to be between you and God.
I certainly don’t have all the answers for your situation, but I do know that when you do a few basic things, God will eventually bless you in huge ways:
1. Give with a humble heart, not out of compulsion or expecting an immediate return. Know that God’s promises are true and you will be be blessed by your giving when done properly.
2. Do everything you can to be an excellent steward of your finances. That means not taking out any more debt, paying off the debt you have, and using your money as efficiently as possible (budgeting). That may mean sacrificing time and effort for awhile to find every way you can to make extra money to pay off debt. That may even mean a job change for your husband. Eventually, that will get you some breathing room.
3. Submit to the authority of those that are over you. That doesn’t mean you have to agree with what they do. Pray for them and pray that God will open their eyes wherever they need to be opened. Stay in prayer for God to help you understand whether you need to stay or go somewhere else. God will always bless you for submitting to authority instead of giving in to an attitude of mistrust and criticism.
I hope this helps. If you have any further questions please let me know and I’ll clarify if needed
Your situation reminds me of a story I was told,………
A very religious man was once caught in rising floodwaters. He climbed onto the roof of his house and trusted God to rescue him. A neighbour came by in a canoe and said, “The waters will soon be above your house. Hop in and we’ll paddle to safety.”
“No thanks” replied the religious man. “I’ve prayed to God and I’m sure he will save me”
A short time later the police came by in a boat. “The waters will soon be above your house. Hop in and we’ll take you to safety.”
“No thanks” replied the religious man. “I’ve prayed to God and I’m sure he will save me”
A little time later a rescue services helicopter hovered overhead, let down a rope ladder and said. “The waters will soon be above your house. Climb the ladder and we’ll fly you to safety.”
“No thanks” replied the religious man. “I’ve prayed to God and I’m sure he will save me”
All this time the floodwaters continued to rise, until soon they reached above the roof and the religious man drowned. When he arrived at heaven he demanded an audience with God. Ushered into God’s throne room he said, “Lord, why am I here in heaven? I prayed for you to save me, I trusted you to save me from that flood.”
“Yes you did my child” replied the Lord. “And I sent you a canoe, a boat and a helicopter. But you never got in.”
It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever to dig yourself into further debt when you have the means to prevent that from happening,….Should you continue to tithe and because of that your husband and you go under,…..would your pastor clear your debt? Hire a lawyer for you when creditors take you to court?
Let me ask you a simple question,…..if you had a son and he took a loan from you to buy a house for example, and the agreement was for him to make payments to you in monthly installments until the debt is fully repaid…….the money is not an issue to you, you can very well afford it ……6 months down the road your son lost his job and is barely keeping afloat, struggling to even feed his family,…. He comes to you not asking for help but just hoping that you would allow him to delay payments until he gets on his feet and stabilize his finances ……..would you agree? And how would you feel towards him? Would you blame him? Refuse to invite him over for thanksgiving? Would you withhold your ‘blessing’ from him?
Never ever under any circumstances be pressured/guilt trip/shamed into doing anything ….especially when you don’t have the means to do so……. after all, I often come across the phrase …God help those who help themselves……
Good response. But the phrase, “God helps those who help themselves” is not from the scripture. It is not something for a Believer to live by or put their faith in.
I would change that to, “God grants unmerited favor. He forgives and lifts the needy (sinners) out of the ash heap. He is able and willing to bless those who place their full trust in Him.” The fact is, while we were yet sinners and not helping ourselves at all, He helped us.
https://www.biblegateway(dot)
com/blog/2017/06/did-you-know-the-saying-god-helps-those-who-help-themselves-isnt-in-the-bible/
Tieth and ask for something specific. Come into agreement out loud with Jesus. Expect a situation, or task to do, not exactly a handout or check in the mail, but a task, an open door, a responsibility that will reap a profit, don’t wait for a hand out. Be positive, negativity or lasyness or a negative mindset will rob your blessing. I promise this always works but!!! Many many people get themselves to give, but they don’t know the steps or process on how to harvest. Pls believe. Iv been thrue all that. And I guarantee u will see just how the lord comes thrue. Be expectant, not a handout from pastor or church specifically, God cannot lie. He said. Put me to the test.
Right on George!
“What happens if you stop tithing? – When you stop tithing and use that money to pay off debt, you get the debt paid off much quicker.”
Well, if you stop tithing and use that money to pay the debt off, you will be paying the debt off 10% faster. That does not sound like much improvement. Definitely not when I take the curse of non-tither into account. “Much quicker” is something like 50% faster or more in my book.
I think if you put the tithe money toward debt only, you could pay it off faster in theory. However, you’re risking the fact that you don’t get that Godly blessing that comes with tithing. When you tie God’s hands you’re more likely to experience setbacks that you otherwise wouldn’t have if you were tithing.
“When you tie God’s hands you’re more likely to experience setbacks that you otherwise wouldn’t have if you were tithing.”
That is exactly what I meant by “curse of non-tither” in my post.
I have been paying my tithe since my pastor told me but the problem is I don’t get anything back even at times I beg money before the end of the month pls help me could I be paying to the wrong place he is pastor and has church pls help me am confused
You have to be careful about how you treat the tithe. Your attitude makes all the difference. If you give just to get something back, then you’re not using the right mindset. You have to give with the attitude that you’re honoring God, and giving back a portion of what He has provided you with.
He will recognize the right attitude and intentions. However, you can’t always expect an immediate change in your situation either. God does things in His own timing. He WILL bless you for being a tither in His own time, which ultimately is the best timing for you.
By the way, if you are tithing but not being a good financial steward in other ways, then you will still have financial problems. Be careful about where and how you spend money, how you make money, and how you treat money. These are all things that can keep you in bondage, even if you’re a tither.
1. Did you ask God for instructions for your finances? If no, ask Him now.
2. If you asked God, did you receive instructions? Beware, many times God’s instructions seem to be to a human brain unwise, crazy or even totally insane. But that is only because God knows something about your financial situation that your brain does not. And when you “need to understand everything before taking action”, God might react with “Shall I explain it to you or shall we do it”. Time is precious in God’s eyes and His time for the blessing is often so close that He simply can’t waste time explaining everything to us.
3. If He provided the instructions, did you DO what He said? If no, don’t wonder why you have problems. I got into a $120000 debt just by ignoring His plan for my finances for more than 8 years. Even now He had to literally drag me out of my job (and take away the ability to work in one) to make His point to me. If you are not obedient, He may also need to drag you out of something.
I have not been tithing for a long time, but my finances was getting worse and worse, I was under a lot of debts, and then I decided to go and see the Man of God who told me that I should start tithing and o will see the hand of God in my finances. Last month’s I tithe and God is already working wonders in my finances. The father of my children who was not supporting his kids sends me money for the children
God’s ways work! Keep it up and you will continue to see His hand in your life and finances!
I don’t have a church, (after my experiences, I don’t want one) and so I save my tithe. I end up with a lot of money, and Im either under constant threat of some unknown attack if I either dont tithe, or if I spend it. Or, I’m under constant temptation, as I’ve never had enough money to to anything with. Makes me want to quit tithing.
One thing you should understand is that no church is perfect, because all churches are filled with imperfect people. I encourage you to find a group of believers and get involved in a church, no matter the imperfections.
As for your tithe, if it’s not presently going to the church then it’s not really a tithe. Whatever you do with it, whether saving or spending, is not benefiting God’s church (or you either!). Again, I encourage you to find a church and tithe there. You will see big changes in your life once you do…
“Let your alms be in secret”. That said, although on occasion I have gone to church, and gave what I had saved, a couple times, I also just gave what I had saved once to a homeless guy, and once to someone I knew really needed it, and couldnt ever pay me back. On a side note, I’m trying to quit smoking weed, I have a license, because I think it’s a form of drunkenness, and the Galations 5 passage scared the crap out of me.
It sounds like you’re trying to find a better way to live, and that’s great! Becoming active in a church around solid believers will help you clarify your thoughts and find the path you’re seeking with God. Giving money to someone who needs it is a noble and commendable thing to do, and you definitely should do it.
But the Bible explicitly says the tithe is for the church, so be careful about rationalizing doing something good while at the same time robbing God and the church of the tithe. Many people aren’t taught that concept and end up believing that tithe money can just be given anywhere as long as you do something good with it. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way. Sorry, not trying to be a buzzkiller, just want to be biblically correct and help others discover the truth of what’s in the Word.
for some time I did not pay my tithe because I wanted to get out of debt . I continued to wallow in debt untill I decided to just last month. And it yielded amazing results. Money promised me by a friend was doubled, a company had pay us some money but did not because we could not provide much evidence, but the officer in charge decided to pay us part of the money. Glory to God
That’s awesome! God always rewards obedience!
Last time I ran into this question, I asked the reader if they had a local charity they could donate their time to. There are shelters, soup kitchens, schools. A lot of places that need help, warm bodies, people to give their time, even more than money. One told me in an email, that after a few weeks of donating her time, she was offered a part time paid position at a different charity, her tithing $ were higher than before, and her debt was nearly gone.
This idea doesn’t strike everyone the right way. But in my opinion, giving 10% of your time, say 6-8 hours a week is a fair interpretation of the spirit of tithing.
I think giving of your time is certainly a good thing to do. The Bible does explicitly require financial giving, but giving out of anything you have is certainly blessed as much as giving money. God always blesses giving, period!
I also managed to overpay and got money back 🙂 made no sense but God’s ways are higher!!
I’ve continued tithing and my debt is over 5 months earlier than I expected. No other explanation other than God!
That’s awesome! I love to hear stories like that! This stuff really does work if you just believe it and do it! Keep up the good work Erin!
I was worried I wasn’t giving the full 10% but I kept raising the amount however I could. Started off giving five now its 25 a month.
Nice, Keep it up!
Thanks! I will be debt free next month officially and then I can do 10% which I’m so excited for.
The idea to keep debt longer so you can pay tithe is not always right. Consider your situation and where your tithe is going. If stopping tithe means pastor will starve to death then dont stop tithing. But If you dont pay debt quicker the interest will mean you end up paying MORE and debt can build until u cant tithe at all or bank will come and sell ur house. It depend on the situation but there is good reason to pay debt first asap. If we have debts we are not in financial freedom. Prov 22:7. God wants us unencumbered by debt so we are free for his purpose. We have duty to others to pay our debts and they should be our priority. Not tithing is robbing God but not paying debt is robbing others. Would God want you to rob others so you dont rob Him? No. Otherwise debt will get bigger and bigger…Then what we have over if any can be given to God. Giving to God should be from our increase. The idea that stop tithing will harm you is not true. No where in new testament says that. Just free will giving as act of worship. God blesses people with generous heart not generous wallet.
Here’s a tips for financial freedom.prevention better than cure. ..Never take out a loan. If you have one pay it back asap. Never put yourself in financial bondage..always live within your means. If you cant afford it without a loan..you cant afford it. I have never taken a loan. I bought new car and a house outright with cash..it takes time but possible. Then I also have enough to support 3 fulltime missionaries…that would have been wasted paying interest if I had taken loan. I guarantee you will be able to give much more to God than those who waste their money paying interest.
I agree, if you can’t pay cash, then you can’t afford it. However, as tithing is concerned, my belief is that God should always come first before any debtor. He is the one who provides all that we have, and it’s up to us to return a portion of it to His church as He requires. When you do that, God gives you favor because of it. I’d rather have favor with Him than a debtor any day.
I see proof of this in conversations with some of the pastors I know, who tell me that they never have to use their church’s benevolence funds to help people who are consistent tithers. It’s always those that don’t give, or give inconsistently that end up needing financial help.
You know pastors who keep tabs on who tithes and who doesn’t? That’s a little creepy.
good day Jason, my husband and I started this journey about 5 months ago after we lost our car due to an accident and we realized that we could not get another car because that make us over indebted. We were tithers and we have continued to tithe. It is only now the last two months that my husband has been asking that we stop tithing for 6 months so that we can pay off our debts, i did not agree and i continued to pay the tithes because this is our obedience and also our protection that we have. At the moment we cannot give offering, like first fruit, building fund and also just every Sunday. There has been successes also in this time, we started our first emergency fund of R 10 000 and in USdollars is 1000USD on a unit trust with allan grey. Our pit falls at the moment are as follows, i love luxuries and on our budget we do not have an entertainment budget and i add up using another money that was budgeted somewhere else to cater for that luxury, and also the other pit fall due to the increase of food prices here in south africa we add up going beyond our grioceries budget due to things that we had to buy for the month. So my question is how can we avoid this, secondly since we are not giving our offering what is the impact on that because we feel very guilty about that myself personnally and i have not gone to church for the past 4 weeks.
Same here, I don’t think tithing should be circumstantial.
Right, when you make it a point to be a giver no matter your situation, that says a lot to God and He’ll reward you for it… every time.
We began our debt-free journey about seven months ago and determined to tithe while paying off debt. It has been difficult and the debt is going slowly. Using the tithe money would help tremendously. We are depending on God to bless us through this difficult time and be better prepared Christians afterward.
Stick with it and keep the faith. Continue to change your financial habits and keep the right attitude about your giving (no complaining) and He’ll see that things go your way. I’ve seen great things happen many times to people that tithe no matter what. I’m living proof that it works and that He is faithful.
Typos! Ahh! I meant to say, yes I believe in tithing no matter what!
Awesome! I always say a blessed 90% goes further than an unblessed 100%. Thanks Cindy!
Yes, I do believe on tithing ok matter what! 🙂