If you are like most people, you strive to be happier with each passing day. You seek hobbies, interests, goals, people and friendships that make you cheerful. You want things that make life better, and you want the people around you to like you. You can have all these things—and more!—if you learn to cheerfully give and serve.

Certainly, everyone likes to be around happy people. They also like to be near those who are willing to do their part, pitching in whenever something needs to be done. You know that such people are not trying to take anything from you since they are always so giving and can always be relied upon when things go wrong. In fact, when someone gives to you, you naturally want to give back. Seeing his cheerful, giving attitude makes him a pleasant person to be around, and it is easy to respond in kind.

Is it any surprise, then, that God feels the same when He sees a cheerful giver? When God sees you giving of yourself—serving Him and others around you—He wants to give back to you. God wants to bless you and fill your life with good things. In fact, He promises to do so if you learn to give of yourself first.

Be Thankful

On the other hand, giving to others who have never done anything for you is not easy. You do not know if they appreciate it, or if they even care. In addition, if you do something nice for another person, or give something to him, and he does not respond or even say thanks, you probably would not want to do so again.

Have you done this yourself?

Do you realize that you might unknowingly be treating God this way? He constantly gives to you in various ways. Yet do you always thank Him? Do you truly give back to Him?

Think of all the things you possess—your blessings—a safe home, clothes, food, drink, etc. You can shower or bathe every day. You are able to obtain a good education at a decent school. You have plenty of opportunities to get a good job, and to achieve success. If you think long and hard, you should be able to name numerous other ways you have been blessed. Everything that you need is provided for—and more!

The above blessings are common in the Western nations. If you lack any of them, consider what you have that the vast majority of people in the world do not have—the precious understanding of God’s truth! You know where this world is headed, and what the future holds. You do not have to worry or wonder about the final outcome of world events. You know that the success of God’s Master Plan is guaranteed! Also, by being in His Church, you have an opportunity to be part of the Family of God. You have the opportunity to receive “all things” (Heb. 2:8)—which the Moffatt translation renders “the entire universe”—if you are simply willing to give of what you have now.

Then, realize that some of your greatest blessings are all of the things you do not experience. For instance, when was the last time you were forced to fight in a war? When was the last time you went weeks without food? When was the last time you were in slavery? When was the last time all your relatives were killed by war, famine or disease? When were you last beaten, whipped or tortured?

All of these things have been common to the lives of many millions, yet you do not face them now. Do you recognize that it is God’s blessing that has kept you from experiencing these things?

Are you grateful?

Prove God

God has given you much—and He expects you to give back to Him and serve Him. And if you do, He promises to give to you many times more than what you gave to Him. Do you believe this?

Recognize that it is not natural for anyone to believe God (Rom. 8:7). It takes faith to believe that God is who He says He is, and that He will do what He says He will do. Notice Hebrews 11: “Without faith it is impossible to please Him: For he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (vs. 6).

Yet, God does not expect you to somehow magically muster up this faith on your own. To begin building this kind of faith, you must first prove God. He has provided a surefire method you can use to personally prove His Word is sure, and that He gives back to those who give to Him.

God explains one way to do this: “Bring you all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in My house, and prove me now herewith, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Mal. 3:10).

It’s that simple! God has been giving to you all your life, but at a certain point, He wants to see if you are thankful and willing to give to Him. If you respond, God will bless you even more abundantly for showing yourself to be a cheerful giver!

And Serve

As you mature into adulthood, you will receive more and more responsibilities. Never forget that these are also opportunities to show thankfulness to God. When you serve members of His Church, you are actually serving God. So says Jesus Christ: “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, you have done it unto Me” (Matt. 25:40).

Remember the principle discussed earlier. When you give to someone, God will give back to you. If you cheerfully serve, with a good attitude, you are giving to God—and He will bless you for it. Not only that, but others will likely give back to you as well. In effect, you often receive twice for every time you serve once—if you are willing to give first.

Further, if you serve willingly, others in the Church will appreciate you more. God feels the same way, regarding offerings of both service and money. Consider, “Every man according as he purposes in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (II Cor. 9:7-8).

But be sure that you do not serve for the purpose of getting. God’s Way is the way of give—of outgoing concern for others. In selflessly serving the needs and cares of others, you will allow God to further develop you into a leader in the World Tomorrow!

So if you are ready to receive God’s greatest blessings, be a cheerful giver—and serve!