It’s embedded within every believer that we want to make God happy, but the problem that many of us run into is that sometimes we don’t know how to do that. Fortunately, the Apostle Paul provides us with an answer in this passage of scripture.

Paul tells us that living a life of generosity is pleasing to God. When we give of our money and our resources, it makes God happy. Why is that? It’s not because God wants our money or because he doesn’t want us to enjoy it for ourselves, but because he desires for us to develop a spirit of generosity. He wants us to stop living life inward-focused and start living outward-focused, to increase in our love for others and to make a difference in our communities. We can’t do that, though, if we live life clinging to our earthly possessions.

Living an open-handed life not only allows you to develop a spirit of generosity, but it also puts you in a position for blessing in your life. This doesn’t mean that if you give God a dollar, he promises to give you ten back, but Scripture does promise a blessing in response to generosity. Sometimes that blessing comes in the form of monetary gain, and other times it comes in a way that we least expect it. Yet, God knows what it is that we truly need, and he gives that to us when we walk in an obedient spirit of generosity.

The first part of this verse, however, suggests that the purpose of that blessing isn’t even necessarily for us – the purpose is so that we can continue to be generous in every way.