All of us desire to receive blessings from God. It fills our prayer lists as we ask God for His favorable hand upon us. As children of God, we are promised that we already have all kinds the blessings (Ephesians 1:3).
Blessings however, have the danger of giving us wrong perceptions about God, the world and ourselves.
Our working definition of “blessing” is: a special favor or gift that God bestows upon us, which brings us happiness. It can be a blessing related to career, relationships, finances, or personal growth, to name a few.
I remember my close friend who received the blessing of an answered prayer. The girl that he was courting finally said “yes”. I was happy for him.
However, now that he had a girlfriend, his time with the Lord dipped. He hardly had any quiet time anymore. His relationship with God was affected.
We too can fall into the dangerous side of blessing. If we are conscious about it, blessings bring much happiness, which God wants us to experience through them.
Here are a few traps to avoid:
- Focusing on the Blessing, and No longer the Source
If we’re not careful, we’ll spend our time and attention on the gift. Before we know it, we’ll worship the blessing itself and drift us away from God.
Let’s never forget God, the Source. Blessings should draw us towards Him. Whatever we receive should lead us to worship and honor Him so much more!
- Getting a Sense of Entitlement that We Deserve This Blessing
Because of the good deeds that we do, we may feel we deserve to receive this blessing and more. We wrongfully think that we “earned” this blessing. Every things is by His grace alone.
The joy of obeying Him and being Christ-like is a blessing in itself. We don’t obligate God to act and give us more. The truth is, God has already blessed us abundantly and in so many ways.
- Demanding that Blessings Should Arrive Immediately
Sometimes, we think we can make a deal with God. If we do a certain action, we expect Him to give us a blessing immediately in return. If he doesn’t do anything, we feel short-changed by God.
Yes, God rewards us for the good that we do. Part of His nature is to bless His children. We however cannot demand the timing of those blessings. Our role is to be faithful day by day.
Some blessings will arrive while we’re still here on earth. Some blessings will come when we’re already with Him in heaven.
- Choosing what Kind of Blessing We Ought to Receive
We might get distraught if the blessing we receive from God is not what asked for. Instead of being thankful, we receive it with less appreciation.We can pray to the
Lord and ask for specific blessings. But because our Heavenly Father knows what’s best, He may give His blessings in a different form.
- Losing Appreciation of the Blessing, and Taking it for Granted Later
When we first receive a blessing, we’re usually very thankful for it. We rejoice and tell others about it. After a while however, our appreciation diminishes. We also no longer use the gift for His purposes.
God wants us to be grateful people. He wants us to recall His goodness in our lives and worship Him for it. Everyday is an opportunity to thank Him for a specific blessing, so we don’t take it for granted.
- Blessings are for my own benefit, not shared to others
Our initial thinking might be that God’s gifts are for our own happiness alone. Since it’s given to us, we believe that it’s for our benefit.
But just like many gifts of God, He wants us to use for His purpose to bless others. Whether it be a material or spiritual gift, sharing it with others will bring joy to more people.
Let’s be thankful that we have a God who loves to bless His children. Exposing and eliminating the dangerous side will allow us to enjoy it to the fullest!
Ephesians 1:3 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
Discussion Question: Recall one big blessing that you received from God. Are you falling on the dangerous side of that blessing? Share your inputs below.