Written by Dynamis Ministries | January 26, 2023
When you think of courageous acts, what comes to mind? Perhaps you think of a firefighter going into a burning building to rescue a resident or a soldier fighting an enemy to protect their country. Maybe you think about a child standing up for a classmate who is being bullied or an employee reporting unethical conduct to their employer. There are many ways people can be courageous, and being generous is one of them even though it may not be as obvious.
Webster’s dictionary defines courage as the “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.” When we look at courage in this way, as the ability to withstand fear, we can begin to see how it is connected to generosity because oftentimes fear is what holds us back in being more generous. There are several ways fear can inhibit our generosity. Consider the following examples:
Financial Fear: Money can be extremely difficult to give away. It is a source of stability and comfort in our lives, and the unpredictability of life may cause us to grip it tightly in case emergencies arise. It takes courage to give when we don’t know what our needs will be in the immediate or distant future.
Relational Fear: Sometimes being generous requires a degree of intimacy. For us to truly know someone’s needs, we must enter into their story. It’s easy to go about our days with superficial connections with others, but it takes courage to enter into the messiness of their lives and help bring healing to areas of pain.
Fear of Commitment: Time is one of the most valuable resources in our world today. We guard our time carefully, and this can make us reluctant to commit to a service event or volunteer role because we may fear it will inhibit our other commitments. It takes courage to prioritize time for generosity in a world of busyness.
Which of these fear obstacles can you relate to the most? You’re not alone in sharing these fears. God understands that fear can be a big problem for us, maybe that’s why there are 365 “do not fear” verses in the bible – one for every day of the year. One such verse comes from Joshua 1:9 when God is speaking to Joshua before he leads God’s people into the Promised Land, “Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
Today, God is still encouraging us to face our fears with courage. To be courageous isn’t to be without fear, rather courage is to move to action despite our fears. When we look at how fear may be holding back our generosity, let’s motivate one another to face our fears with courage and move to action. It may require us to create an intentional budget so we can prioritize giving or pausing in our day to invest in relationships. Maybe we need to reevaluate our commitments to make time for family or serving. All of these changes may take courage, but we can step forward in confidence knowing that the Lord our God is with us!
