Christmas is approaching, so is the season of giving.
As the cost of living is increasing, it is harder for most of us to give - it is at least true for myself. This morning when I was driving in my warm little car, it was so cold outside, somehow it made me think what I can do to give back to those who are in need and our community, but at that very moment, I worried about the living expenses. I stopped at the red light thinking and the following verse came into my mind.
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Matt 6:26
Then I remembered the time when the pandemic started, my husband’s business got affected big time due to the lockdowns. We were grateful I had a full time job which still provided us a steady income while I was striving to do more arts. However, after struggling for awhile, I still had to make a decision to stop sponsoring a few kids whom I was sponsoring - this decision saddened me quite a bit… to this moment, I still don't know if I made the right decision doing so… One day, there was a program on TV about fundraising for the Sickkids Hospital. I was touched by what Sickkids do for the children, I asked myself whether there is something I could do with my limited budget, and I decided to give 50% of my income that year from selling art or any commissioned works. I wasn’t expecting much as it was during the pandemic, BUT out of nowhere, a couple new clients commissioned me for some mural works and those works thereafter opened up other opportunities and granted me great experiences. Of course I was able to give a little more than expected to Sickkids at the end.
“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9
This experience taught me that it’s never about ourselves and how much we actually have - His grace is enough. When we ask and trust, God will provide and probably would provide more than we expected. I am learning to do what my heart tells me to do and have faith - not so much in myself - but in God.
It is a lifetime learning for me. To be honest, I still worry about living, I always have these crazy thoughts: recession is coming, what if I lose my job? What if I cannot pay for rent? What if I cannot pay for my car loan? What if what if what if… There are a lot of what-ifs that cannot ever be answered. I need to learn to pray and believe “His grace is sufficient”.
Hope my little experience could be a good reminder to you as it is to myself. Christmas is approaching, so is the season of giving. Life is not easy, but perhaps there are little things we can give.
