The Effect of Generosity on the Heart
It is important that we regularly reflect on ourselves and examine our hearts.
This can be a painful exercise due to the difficulty of accepting the reality of our shortcomings and areas of sin. Yet such reflection is incredibly necessary. If we ignore how our hearts are being shaped, we may wake up one day and realize we have drifted far off course.
Proverbs 4:23 reflects this idea and states, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
The phrase “above all else” highlights the importance of filtering what we put into our hearts, since it will have a great impact on our thoughts, choices, and actions.
However, if we desire to grow in love and virtue, we must do more than simply guard our hearts against evil. We must also ask, “What should I expose my heart to so that it grows in love for Christ and for others?”
It can become difficult to answer this question. Especially since the world is a place of many shiny objects; all of which scream the idea that you are the rightful owner of each one. Whether through media, attention, possessions, or endless distractions, our hearts seem naturally drawn toward consumption.
We all know of people who have tried to fill the gap in their hearts by always reaching for the next shiny object. This constant consumption often leaves people wondering why they feel empty or don’t have meaningful relationships. It seems logical to think that we must fill ourselves up to satisfy the gap in our hearts — but is that really true?
The answer is actually the opposite.
It is both a great way to guard and shape our hearts, with that being generosity. When generosity becomes a practice in your life, you’ll begin to notice a subtle shift. Your grip starts to loosen, and your priorities begin to realign. The things you treasure are reordered to reflect what God treasures.
It’s ironic and profound to realize that the benefits of being a generous giver are often so great that it outweighs that of the receiver.
We get a better grasp of this idea in Matthew 6:21, when Jesus states, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” It would be easy to assume that the principle in this statement should be flipped. It doesn’t say “For where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.”
This distinction is key when we think back to how we can be shaping our hearts to grow in love and virtue. Too often, we assume that we must first feel compassion, conviction, or emotional attachment before we give. But Jesus implies the opposite — that the act of giving itself directs the heart. Because this is true, then generosity is not merely an overflow of a transformed heart; it is one of the means by which the heart is transformed.
Many people pray, worship, and read Scripture in hopes that God will put it on their hearts how they should give. I’ve often heard people say, “When God puts it on my heart to be generous, then I’ll give.”
The hard reality is that if we require our hearts to be in a “generous mood” in order to give, we will no longer be a giving people. Obedience often precedes affection, and discipline frequently precedes delight.
Think about some of the most generous people you have met in your life, specifically ones that you aspire to be like. I feel fairly confident in saying that none of the most generous people you know were born with naturally generous hearts. They had to learn to give prior to their hearts being involved. Over time, their generosity muscle was exercised over and over again, which is why their heart has grown to loving the idea of giving. It wasn’t natural at first, but with time and effort, these people understand how rewarding it is to be a cheerful giver. What once required discipline became joy.
As a college student, imagine the impact you could have if you started training this muscle now.
This truth carries particular weight in seasons of limited resources. As college students or young professionals, margin can feel thin. Debt, budgeting constraints, and financial uncertainty can tempt us to postpone generosity until a “more convenient” time. Yet Luke 16:10 reminds us, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much…” Faithfulness is not measured by the amount given, but by the posture of the heart.
So the question is not simply whether we feel generous today. The better question is, “What kind of heart am I forming through my daily habits?”
If the heart follows treasure, and it does, then every financial decision is shaping something deeper within us. Remember that it is only your job to walk in obedience, then allow the Lord to do the work of shaping your heart.
If this habit of generosity is consistently cultivated, you may be pleasantly surprised the next time you pause for self-reflection and discover how much your heart has grown to treasure the things which God loves - not because it always felt natural, but because generosity steadily shaped it.
