The following content is from my upcoming book, Fully Convinced: The Art of Decision-Making

Three powerful quotes to lay the foundation for this teaching: 

Cheerfulness is one evidence we have attached faith to our decisions, responsibilities, assignments, and commitments. 

Faithfulness is not just showing up, it is how you think when you show up. 

Instead of waiting to do something great, attach great faith to what you are doing now and it will become great. 

2 Corinthians 9 is a strong chapter about the attitudes and benefits of financial giving. It reveals incredible promises.

We will:

• Reap generously if we sow generously 
• Have all grace abounding to us
• Experience all-sufficiency
• Be enriched in every way to be generous in every way

Although there are many great promises in this chapter, let’s focus on verse seven which speaks directly to this book’s theme of being fully convinced. 

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).

Let’s break this verse down phrase by phrase:

• Each one – Each person is free to decide what they do and do not do. Although the Bible does give clear direction on many issues, there are also issues not clear-cut that we must decide on. In these cases, we must respect the decision-making and choices of others that are different from our own. 
• Must give as he has decided in his heart – Again, we get to decide how much to give in finances, time, energy, and relationships. This is an incredible revelation as we move from a slave mentality to a son mentality. Slaves are always waiting for a command from God or from others to know what to do, but sons are given increasing authority to decide for themselves through good decision-making processes. Our good Father models excellent decision-making for us and then gives us room to try for ourselves. He enthusiastically celebrates when we choose well!
• Not reluctantly or under compulsion – If we have either one of these attitudes towards what we give ourselves to, they reveal one of two problems - we are either doing the wrong thing or we are doing the right thing with the wrong beliefs. “Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God” (Hebrews 6:1). A dead work is Christian “obedience” done consistently in a reluctant manner or under compulsion (not being done in faith). Repentance from this is one of the elementary doctrines of Christ. 
• For God loves a cheerful giver – The Greek word for cheerful is "hilaros", from which we get our word hilarious (boisterous merriment). Cheerfulness is evidence we have attached faith to our decisions. God loves a cheerful giver because that kind of person gives from their heart in faith. As they give, they think, “This is exciting. I have decided to do this. This is going to have a huge positive impact on me and others.” Note: many churches do offering declaration readings before the offering to stir up this cheerfulness. 

Again, the principles of 2 Corinthians 9:7 are applicable far beyond finances, and we can rightly conclude that God loves a cheerful decider. A chronic lack of cheerfulness in our disciplines, decisions, schedules, or responsibilities is almost always a sign we have decided out of obligation instead of faith. When we recognize we are not cheerful concerning our choices, then it is a sign we have a decision to make. 

1. Clarify your options and decide what you are to do – This is the key to living in faith concerning what we have decided to do. One option is most certainly to continue doing what we are doing without cheerfulness, but that is not a good option. What we need to do is get a good process for decision-making and then decide what to do. For help, read my blog on decision-making here.
2. Speak life over your commitments – “My meetings today are going to be powerful,” or “God is going to show up in my family tonight when I get home,” or “This coffee date with my friend will cause a breakthrough for both of us.” One of the greatest ways to attach faith to what we are doing, and who we are, is to make faith declarations.
3. Press into your beliefs until cheerfulness manifests consistently regarding the choices you have made - This may take a while, but the journey is incredible as we go deeper in defeating the lies that create a lack of cheerfulness in giving our time, finances, passion, and energy. 

God loves a cheerful decider because it is a significant sign of spiritual maturity. Our Heavenly Father, as with any parent, loves it when His kids move from indecision to confidence in what they decide to do. 2 Corinthians 9:7 is a great verse to meditate on for the one who desires to be fully convinced. When we add the truths of Romans 14 to it, we gain even more understanding of the importance of attaching faith to what we decide to do.