When Writing a Check Doesn’t Bring Joy

In 2 Corinthians 9:7, Paul writes that “God loves a cheerful giver.” This verse often raises a question in small groups and Bible studies: What do we do when our giving doesn’t give us joy? Is the solution to give less and wait for God to change our hearts?

It’s a familiar experience. You meet with a passionate nonprofit leader who has a big vision, good character, and a great team, and you’re ready to make a gift to support the work. You cut the check, and then? Nothing. The nonprofit presumably takes that money and goes out and does some good in the world. Maybe you aren’t suspicious of the organization’s intentions or even its ability to execute, but how can you know the difference that you made through your giving? Did you make a difference?

In the ensuing months, you receive some updates about the work of the organization. The marketing materials feel generic and over-polished, and you wonder if the nonprofit is just cherry-picking success stories. Unless you gave a large gift, these updates are rarely about the impact of your specific gift. Instead, they are a highlight reel from the entire ministry, but, again, what portion of the work was your impact? What difference did your check make, if any?

Nonprofits have a role to play in helping givers find joy in their giving. Many nonprofits can improve how they tell impact stories and how they communicate their metrics. Development professionals can send personal updates to donors and thank them for making a difference. That’s all well and good, but we can’t put all of the blame on nonprofits for our lack of joy. We need to learn what Richard Foster calls the “discipline of celebration,” and we need to apply it to our giving.

This is an important issue for all of us because we’re all called to give. In this article, I want to suggest that we have a role to play in cultivating our own joy from giving. I believe that God wants us to actively celebrate when we receive the gift of writing a check to a great charity.

Embrace the Discipline of Celebration

So, here are five practical ways to find more joy when you write checks to charities.

1// Thank God for the capacity to give.

The apostle Paul writes about the “grace of giving,” (2 Cor 8:7) a phrase that implies that the opportunity to give is itself a gift. In fact, I believe that one of the greatest gifts God can give a person is the gift of positively impacting the story of another person. When you write a check, do you take time to thank God for your capacity to give?

2// Thank the nonprofit staff for their work.

Working for a nonprofit is hard. In my experience in the sector, it is rare to hear a donor say, “Thank you for the sacrifices you are making to serve others.” Many nonprofit leaders are on the edge of burnout. Overworked, underpaid, and often under appreciated, nonprofit personnel need encouragement and prayer just as much as they need money. When you thank nonprofit staff members for the sacrifices they’re making, you’ll find that your gratitude produces joy in them and in you.

3// Prayerfully read the stories that nonprofits send you.

When you receive an annual report or newsletter from a nonprofit you support, that’s a great chance to grab a cup of coffee, find a comfortable spot, and read and reflect with gratitude on the work that you get to participate in through giving. As you read, remember that every person impacted by the organization has eternal value.

4// See the impact firsthand by volunteering.

If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that there’s nothing like being in person. To have the best possible understanding of the impact of your giving, you’ll need to go see the work firsthand. If the nonprofit you’re supporting has volunteer opportunities, consider going out on a Saturday morning to serve with humility and an openness to learn. If the nonprofit is global, ask if you could join them overseas for a week-long learning trip.

5// Calculate your own personal impact metrics.

You can use annual report data and a simple formula to calculate your own personal impact metrics. I highly recommend this exercise. It can be a great source of joy! Just take your annual gift amount and divide it by the total expenses for the organization. That will give you the portion of the nonprofit’s work that you financed. Multiply this ratio by each of the nonprofit’s annual impact metrics to estimate your personal impact. After doing the math, take a moment to contemplate each human story represented by the statistics. Pray for them, pray for the nonprofit, and then thank God for the opportunity to participate in His work.

Visibility on the Impact

When I give a birthday present to my son, that brings me joy because the gift flows from my love for him, and I get to see his joy in receiving the gift. Giving money to a charity is more complex than this experience. The money we give goes to an institution with a Board, bylaws, values, strategy, and staff, all aiming towards a mission. The money funds salaries, office supplies, and other program expenses.

This complexity can rob us of joy because we don’t have visibility on the impact of our gift. But by proactively contemplating the stories we touch through our financial generosity, by seeking proximity to those stories as we are able, all of a sudden the act of giving is filled with wonder, grace, and delight.