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Written by Dynamis Ministries | August 22, 2024

Some of us might be familiar with the legend of how Isaac Newton discovered the law of gravity. As a young man, he was sitting under an apple tree contemplating the questions of the universe, when an apple fell and hit him on the head. It was an aha moment that prompted him to question why the apple fell straight down rather than sideways, or even upward. This simple question laid the foundation for the law of gravity that we have since built upon to develop many advancements in modern technology today, even including space travel!

Newton’s impact on the world didn’t stop there. He also invented calculus, new theories about light and color, and the three laws of motion that are the foundations of the field of physics. One of these laws that’s a little less known is the law of inertia. By definition, inertia states that “every object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled to change its state by the action of an external force.”

The simple translation: objects are resistant to change.

The ironic thing about inertia is that this doesn’t just apply to innate objects. As people, we too are resistant to change. Have you ever been stuck in the routine of something that’s become stale, but you can’t seem to get out of it? That’s inertia. Have you ever experienced trouble motivating yourself to start a new task or get working toward a new goal? That too is inertia. Inertia is a force we have to overcome in a lot of areas of our lives, including our generosity.

For many of us, it can be easy to get stuck in generosity routines, especially when it comes to our financial giving. Recurring giving done through our credit card or bank account is a great convenience that helps us be consistent givers, but it runs the risk of putting our giving on autopilot. We set a giving rate, and then inertia takes over and we forget to keep it fresh and possibly stretch our giving, even if our giving capacity has increased. Many of us also feel stuck because we don’t know where to begin in new ways of being generous. We may lack awareness of pathways we can plug into that align with our passions, or we may have underdeveloped gifts that are keeping us from stepping into new generosity expressions. In either of these cases, it’s hard to overcome the inertia to get started.

Whether we’re cruising on autopilot or simply not moving at all, the key to overcoming inertia is that we need something to act against it. This is exactly what Dynamis offers people who experience the Generosity Plan process. The Generosity Plan is designed to encourage and inspire people to re-evaluate their current generosity and help them reach their generosity potential. It brings fresh ideas that can provide just the nudge people need to live a more generous lifestyle. If you’re experiencing inertia with your generosity today, take a step to overcome it by signing up for a Generosity Plan. Not only will you be overcoming the inertia of generosity, but like Isaac Newton you too will have your own “aha” moment from the Generosity Plan process!

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