Christian, do you struggle to give with the right heart, freely and cheerfully (2 Cor 9:7)? The way out of one's own tight fist is by dwelling on and receiving the doctrine of God's own bounty. It means more than affirming that "because God is generous, I ought to be." This mindset is purely of the law and powerless to affect change. Freedom to give joyfully comes through meditating upon and rejoicing in the good news that in Christ, God graciously directs his omnipotence toward all our needs. Providence is dispensed from the account of divine goodwill. For that reason, we can give cheerfully trusting the Father to provide enough for this life as well as an exceeding reward of grace in the world to come. Above all, we can lean on his promise to provide the Spirit of generosity to overcome our doubting, idolatrous tendencies.
For more on this subject listen to this sermon on Mal 3:6-12, "Will Man Rob God?"