The Prayer That Changed Me

One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Proverbs 11:24–25

In 2022, I whispered a prayer that I wasn’t even sure I was ready to live out: "Lord, make me generous."

It wasn’t a grand declaration. In fact, it came from a place of hesitation, fear, and uncertainty. I had started to notice something in myself—this hesitancy to give. I would feel a gentle tug to help, to offer, to give, but I held back. My mind was cluttered with questions: “What if I’ll be the one who runs out?” “What if no one helps me when it's my turn to be in need?” “What if I give away what I need for myself?” “What about the things I want?”

These were the thoughts that built walls around my heart. They didn’t make me greedy—but they did make me guarded. And behind that guardedness was fear. That’s when I realized I needed to surrender this fear to God. And so I prayed—not for money but for a heart that gives without fear.

I didn’t know it then, but God had already started working behind that prayer.

Instead of changing my bank account, He changed my perspective. Instead of giving me more, He made me see what I already had. Instead of silencing the “what ifs,” He taught me to trust Him in spite of them.

Little by little, He brought moments into my life that tested this prayer: I saw someone at the grocery store who didn’t have enough money to buy food. An old man approached me with his hand out, asking for a little spare change. A child had lost his fare money and didn’t know how to get home. A classmate quietly struggled to afford school needs. After teaching sessions with children and bonding moments with the youth, I felt the nudge to spend for them—sometimes with snacks, sometimes with time, sometimes with effort. There were ministries that needed support, and again, the call to give was there.

And every single time, I had a choice: retreat into my comfort, or respond in faith. I didn’t always give with ease. But the more I did it, the more I saw that God was not letting me fall short.

There was never a moment I went hungry. Never a time I felt abandoned. Never a day when I lacked joy.

In fact, I began to see the opposite. I was full. Full of peace, of unexpected blessings, of favor I couldn’t explain. I didn’t just give—I gained. Not always in money or material things, but in spiritual depth, in confidence, in quiet assurance that I was walking in the center of God’s will.

Generosity became more than an action. It became a lifestyle. It became worship.

I discovered that giving is not about how much you have, but how much you trust. It's not about wealth—it's about willingness. It's not about abundance—it's about obedience.

And I saw firsthand the truth of God's Word: "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over..." (Luke 6:38)

That verse came to life in me. Not just in my wallet, but in my spirit.

Looking back, I realize that God didn't just answer my prayer to be generous—He transformed me through it. He answered the cry of my heart by rewriting the fears in my mind. He worked behind every moment, orchestrating opportunities, and proving His faithfulness over and over again.

Now, I live with this bold truth: I have never become poor by giving. I have only become rich—in love, in faith, in peace, and in purpose.