Giving Now, Not Later with Cody Hobelmann

It’s easy to assume generosity will grow over time. We tell ourselves we’ll give more after we earn more, save more, pay off debt, or reach a certain level of financial security. But what if waiting causes us to miss something God wants to do today? That’s the question Cody Hobelmann invites us to consider. Cody is a Certified Financial Planner, a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA®), and co-founder of the Finish Line Pledge with his brother, Keelan. He also contributed to FaithFi’s new field guide, How Much Money Is Enough?—a resource designed to help believers think biblically about setting financial finish lines. For Cody, this isn’t merely a financial planning concept. It’s personal. Early in his stewardship journey, he believed the best way to serve the Kingdom was to accumulate substantial wealth and give generously later. But over time, God began to reshape that perspective. “I started to wonder,” Cody shared, “what am I missing by not giving more today?” That question gets to the heart of biblical generosity. Giving is not only about transferring money to a worthy cause. It is also about joy, spiritual formation, trust, and eternal impact. The Joy of Giving Now Acts 20:35 says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” For some believers, generosity begins with the heart. They discover that giving produces a joy that spending and saving cannot replicate. When we give, we step into something larger than ourselves. We participate in the needs, stories, and mission of others. That joy can become contagious. As Cody explained, generosity often draws us into relationships with people and organizations doing meaningful work. We begin to see the impact of our gifts. We share in the purpose of the ministry. We become part of a story God is writing through His people. And the more we experience that joy, the harder it becomes to put generosity off until later. Giving now also allows us to encourage others. Stories of generosity can awaken generosity in someone else. Cody noted that hearing the stories of radically generous givers helped challenge his own assumptions. In the same way, our generosity can become an invitation for others to ask, “What are they experiencing that I’m missing?” Generosity doesn’t just meet needs. It multiplies. Generosity as Spiritual Formation Other givers are motivated by what Cody describes as the “soul” dimension of giving. For them, generosity is part of spiritual formation. Giving requires trust. It asks us to surrender something we may feel we have earned, controlled, or secured for ourselves. That first step can be the hardest, because it often exposes what we really believe about God’s provision. But like a muscle, generosity grows stronger with practice. At first, giving may feel difficult or like a sacrifice. But as we give consistently, we learn to listen for the Lord’s leading and respond with obedience. Over time, generosity becomes less about fearfully letting go and more about joyfully participating in God’s work. This is one reason giving now matters. Delayed generosity may preserve our resources, but it can also delay the work God wants to do in our hearts. Through generosity, God loosens our grip on money. He shifts our identity away from what we have, what we earn, or what we can control, and roots it more deeply in Him. Accumulation may give the illusion of safety, but generosity teaches us dependence. Giving becomes a way of saying, “Lord, these resources belong to You. What would You have me do with them?” That kind of prayerful surrender draws us closer to God in a way accumulation never can. The Wisdom of Strategic Giving Generosity is not only emotional or formative. It can also be strategic. Some believers think carefully about impact. They want to steward resources wisely, evaluate outcomes, and give in ways that bear fruit. Cody calls this the “head” dimension of giving. From that perspective, giving now has a practical advantage: it gives us experience. When we give today, we can see what happens. We can learn which ministries are bearing fruit, which need to align with our calling, and where future gifts might have the greatest impact. Cody compares it to planting seeds. Year after year, we learn where the harvest is growing and where to sow next. This kind of giving is not impulsive. It is thoughtful, prayerful, and engaged. Financial planners often talk about the power of compound interest. But Cody points to something even greater: compound impact. A dollar invested may grow over time, but a gift given today may change a life today. And God can do far more with our obedience than we can calculate on a spreadsheet. That doesn’t mean every dollar should be given away immediately or that planning for the future is unwise. Scripture commends wisdom, provision, and prudent planning. But it does mean we should be careful not to assume that “later” is always the more faithful option. Sometimes waiting to give can mean delaying the impact God intended for today. Don’t Hold Too Tightly Jesus warns in Matthew 6:19-21, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal... For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Earthly resources are temporary. Markets change. Circumstances change. Needs arise. Life is uncertain. Even when we intend to give later, we are not guaranteed we will have the opportunity. That reality is not meant to create fear. It is meant to cultivate a sense of faithful urgency. As Ron Blue has often said, “Do your giving while you’re living, so you’re knowing where it’s going.” There is wisdom in being able to see, participate in, and learn from the impact of generosity while we are still here. Giving now turns temporary resources into lasting Kingdom impact. How Finish Lines Help Us Give Freely One practical way to accelerate generosity is by setting financial finish lines. A lifestyle finish line changes the question from “How much should I give?” to “How much should I keep?” Once we prayerfully define enough for our lifestyle, we are free to ask what God would have us do with the resources beyond that point. A lifetime finish line works similarly. It helps us consider how much is appropriate to accumulate over the course of our lives. When we know what is enough, we can begin dreaming with God about how to deploy His resources for His purposes. Finish lines are not about legalism. They are about freedom. They help us resist the endless pull of accumulation and open our hands to the joy, adventure, and impact of generosity. Take One Step This Week For the person waiting for the “right time” to become more generous, the encouragement is simple: start now. That step does not have to be dramatic. It may be small. It may be quiet. It may be a first act of obedience that stretches your faith just enough to remind you that God can be trusted. But don’t wait to be generous. Giving shapes your heart. It deepens your faith. It strengthens your trust in God. And it multiplies Kingdom impact in ways delayed generosity never can. The question is not merely, “How much can I give someday?” The better question may be, “Lord, what would You have me do today?” On Today’s Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions: Scripture calls men to provide for their families, but what does that look like today? Is there a minimum income a man should aim for to support a family, and what kind of financial goal or ambition should we encourage young men to pursue? I’m praying about how to advise a friend with over $40,000 in debt. He has small investments and a small business, but the business is declining, and he feels overwhelmed. Would a Christian credit counselor be the right next step? Resources Mentioned: Faithful Steward: FaithFi’s Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner) 10 Reasons to Give Now Rather Than Later by Cody Hobelmann (Article in Faithful Steward, Issue 6) The Finish Line Pledge Christian Credit Counselors Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA) FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God’s resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. 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