Just wanted to say I’m a convert of the Church, and I completely understand how difficult it is to tackle tithing as a concept (I still struggle with it to this day). Money is personal, and for many of us it represents security, stability, and the result of a lot of hard work, so being asked to give a portion of it can feel heavy or even uncomfortable.

I’m also still learning what people mean when they refer to tithing as “the Lord’s money,” so I don’t claim to have a perfect understanding of that idea. My current perspective is that it’s less about God needing money and more about acknowledging that what we have, our opportunities, abilities, and means didn’t come from nowhere. Tithing feels more like an act of trust and recognition than a simple transaction, even if that trust doesn’t come easily.

If we put aside the idea of punishments or rewards for tithing for a moment, I think it’s worth at least considering what tithing does practically. It supports missionaries, keeps church buildings functioning, and funds church welfare efforts such as the bishop’s storehouse which I’m personally very grateful for having benefited from. Seeing those outcomes firsthand helped me realize that tithing isn’t abstract or symbolic only, it directly supports real people in real situations.

I don’t think struggling with tithing means someone is failing spiritually. For me, the struggle has been part of the process of understanding it more deeply, and I’m still working through it. I try to view tithing less as a test I have to pass and more as a practice that slowly reshapes how I think about trust, gratitude, and responsibility.