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The Muscle You Are Not Exercising (Impact Hard Devotional: Day 73)

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Generosity & Surrendered Stewardship

The Muscle You Are Not Exercising

“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

2 Corinthians 9:7

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If you are a father, imagine buying your daughter a Hershey’s Chocolate bar and as you are handing her the bar, you break off a square and pop it in your mouth. Your daughter instinctively cries out, “Hey, that’s mine!” in a fit of anger. Even though you bought the candy bar and gave it to her, she fails to grasp the irony of her selfish response.

Now, imagine handing your daughter that same Hershey’s bar, but this time, you do not take a piece of the bar for yourself. As soon as she receives it, she says, “Thanks Daddy!” and begins to unwrap the chocolate with great enthusiasm. Before she even takes a bite, she breaks off a piece and says, “Here Daddy, this is for you!” with a gleam of gratitude and joy. You smile, and together you share in the joy of eating the chocolate together. You didn’t “need” her chocolate, and you could easily have bought a dozen bars for yourself, but there is no price tag for the joy of sharing in that moment.

When you hear someone talk about tithing (giving the first 10% of your income back to God), what kind of feelings does it produce in you? Are you like the child that grasps your wallet and says, “Hey, that’s mine!”? Do you feel shame or regret that you have not been a faithful steward of the resources God has entrusted to you? Do you think, “I better start tithing so I don’t feel bad anymore.”? Or, do you get excited about the opportunity to give back to God a portion of all that He has given you?

God doesn’t want you to give out of regret or compulsion, but with a spirit of cheerful gratitude. Don’t let that principle of joyful generosity allow you to justify not giving however. Some men actually convince themselves that if they can’t give cheerfully then they don’t have to give at all! Generosity is like a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to become stronger. If you haven’t been back to the gym in a while, exercising those muscles may be painful at first, and might even make you a little sore. Over time, however, that muscle gets stronger and you are able to give more than you thought possible… and like it!

When we talk about IMPACT Hard, we are talking about doing hard things that we know are good for us and will bring glory to God. Is giving generously that “hard thing” that you have been avoiding, excusing, justifying or delaying?

Here is the challenge (God’s command)- Give a gift to a church or ministry that is advancing the Kingdom. Start with a gift that represents a significant amount for you (in the New Testament, 10% is a healthy starting point) and release your trust back to God. Next month, do it again. Give with joyful generosity month after month after month until that giving muscle is stronger than you ever imagined.

Reflection: (Don’t skip this!)

What do I need to know?
How do I need to grow?
Where does this need to show up in my life?

Take the challenge, step up to the task, and watch God transform your life, your relationships and your legacy over the next 75 days in God’s Word.

Join the IMPACT Hard 75 Day Challenge!

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To Equip & Encourage

The Muscle You Are Not Exercising (Impact Hard Devotional: Day 73)

The Muscle You Are Not Exercising

IMPACT HARD | 75 Day Devotional for Men | © 2026

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