The Corinthians had a genuine desire to share their financial resources with needy saints among the Lord’s people. In fact, their zeal had stirred up many others to give as well (2 Cor. 9:2). However, the Corinthians had not yet followed through by actually sending their gift. Chapters 8 and 9 in this epistle are written to encourage them to do so, and thus the passage provides excellent principles for us, too.

In particular, the verse quoted above shows that God looks first for willing minds. He knows the limits of our resources, and He never requires us to give something we do not have. In fact, this is a very helpful guideline for any Christian service, not only in matters of money but also in how we use our time. The more we serve the Lord, the more we realize how many needs there are! We could devote every hour of the week to helping others and still feel overwhelmed by the needs that remain. Some may even try to burden us with feelings of guilt by saying things like, “I can’t believe you won’t help me,” or, “A spiritual Christian would definitely do this.”

The reality is this: even if we are willing, we cannot always help the way we would like. We can’t do everything. Moreover, the Lord will never burden us with a sense of false guilt just to get us to serve Him more. “God loves a cheerful giver” (v. 7).

Some seem blinded to the needs of others, and the Lord may indeed convict them about this. But if we already have a willing mind, it is absolutely appropriate to know our boundaries and limits. Nevertheless, do not let those limitations discourage you from doing what you can. In our own strength, even our best efforts would be useless anyway; but God can take whatever we have and use it for His glory.