Generosity as Freedom From Fear

‘I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.’ Philippians 4:12–13 (NIV) 

Like Paul, the author of these words, I’ve known seasons of need and of plenty. When money was tight it was a constant thought in my mind: ‘What am I going to do until the end of the month?’ ‘If that mysterious noise in my car amounts to something, can I afford to get it fixed?’ ‘I know I said I’d help my friend tomorrow but maybe I should pick up that extra shift instead…’ 

Even in seasons of plenty, the worries remain. ‘Shouldn’t I focus on saving what I have for the future rather than giving it away now?’ ‘If I make a sacrifice, will I fall behind my peers?’  

It all amounts to the same worry that what I have isn’t enough. Even if I don’t know what ‘enough’ means, I still worry I don’t have it.

Money can hold real power over us, and many times has caused me to be blind to what I already have. Generosity reassigns this power back to God, allowing me to see clearly and creatively the gifts God has given me. I can give freely of my time, my skills, my love and my prayers without worrying about whether I will be taken care of. Even in the seasons where cash is tight, the discipline of giving out of my little reminds me that I am not sustained by my own efforts, but by God’s provision in my life.

Fear keeps me focussed inwardly on my own problems. Philippians 4:12–13 reminds me that in being content in God, I am released to hand my fears over to him and instead to look at how I can best serve those around me. This quote from the leadership team of St. Basil’s Church in Devon captures it perfectly: ‘Generosity does for money what Sabbath does for time. The spiritual discipline of giving restricts the destructive power of money and releases its redemptive potential.’

Why not take a few minutes to ask God to reveal where fear is stifling your opportunities to be generous? Thank him for those times when you have experienced his generosity to you in the past and lay down your anxieties at the foot of the cross.