Suppose you and your husband both lost your jobs, and one day you had to apply to one of these charities for help. How would you feel if they had to turn you away because months before, people like you had stopped giving to them?

The point is this: When we back away from our giving and aren’t as generous as we could be, it has a negative impact – not just on the organizations we supported, but on the countless people who need their help. Churches too will be affected; the work God has given them will be hampered. The Bible tells us “to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share” (1 Timothy 6:18). In tough economic times, churches and charities need our support more than ever.

Let me make two suggestions. First, ask God to help you trust Him for your future. He knows what will happen – and He can be trusted to see you through. That doesn’t mean you won’t face hard times, because you might. But God loves you and will be with you.

Also, ask God to help you yield your lives – including your pocketbooks – to Christ. Everything you have comes from His hands, and you are far better off than millions of others during these difficult times. Yes, be prudent in your spending – but thank God for the privilege of helping others in Christ’s name.