Why doesn't God bless me?

“Why doesn’t God bless me, Pastor?” is a question I am asked, in one form or another, many times. A review of life often (not always!) reveals some serious neglect of the basic choices that align the Christian with God’s will that creates a blessed life.  Sometimes the problems result from the sins of the fathers, one generation’s dysfunction passed to the next. Sometimes they come from choices made in immaturity that keep on collecting throughout life.  Sometimes they are the result of willful refusal to walk in the Spirit.

Let me illustrate.  I do preventative maintenance on my cars.  The engine oil and filter are changed according to the manufacturer’s specifications.  Brakes, hoses, filters are checked and replaced when indicated.  My cars run well and last longer because I pay attention to their design.  I can ignore all maintenance and there will be no consequence for a year or two, for 15,000 miles!  But then, the result of my neglect shows up in major problems. I’d be a fool at that point to blame Ford for building a bad product. 

My home is likewise given attention, the small issues with the various systems noted and fixed before they turn into catastrophes.   

 The high school students in my home are encouraged (strongly!) to keep up with homework assignments, to be diligent on a daily basis.  Why? Because they will successfully complete the course’s tests if they have done the work along the way.

Here’s a key fact. If we desire the blessings of God, we must first receive His gift of grace that makes us alive to the Spirit.  Without Christ as Savior and Lord we are living ‘under a curse.’   The Bible says, "thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness. …  When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:17-23, NIV)

The experience of salvation which Jesus described as a ‘new birth,’ is not a destination. It is a beginning.  As wonderful as it is to be forgiven and freed from the guilt of sin, restored to our Father in heaven, the next step is to become a disciple.  The Holy Spirit teaches us how to be a follower of Jesus.  Disciples tend to the daily disciplines – caring for our bodies, tending our souls, nurturing relationships, dealing with sin and disobedience while it is still in infancy –  and thus, they live as God designed.  And, a life aligned with the will of God and the work of the Spirit will be richer and fuller! What fruit grows in us? “Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV)

A life marred by the sins of sloth, greed, drunkenness, or family disintegration will not know prosperity in the long term.   

·         God teaches us to apply ourselves to our work, to do our daily work for Him. Diligence is a key to blessings.  

God teaches us to be content. A greedy person does foolish things that lead him into high risk and debt. "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (1 Timothy 6:10, NKJV)

·         God teaches us to exercise self-control.  A person who masters his impulses and desires by the power of the Spirit knows many blessings! "Don’t destroy yourself by getting drunk, but let the Spirit fill your life." (Ephesians 5:18, CEV)

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God created us to live in community, beginning with family. A strong intact family unit, where there is fidelity and faith, is a key to wealth building.  It creates stability, security, and investment of a previous generation's wealth in the next. The value of being part of His Body, the Church, is beyond estimation.

So, you might be ready to jump to this conclusion:  those who are suffering or not prosperous create their own misery.  It’s their fault, fate, or just dessert.  Be careful lest you become a religious Pharisee, quick to judge, blind to your own sin!   The effect of living in a fallen world touches us all.  Sins of others bring sorrow to us.  To assume that we can live in a way that is good enough to insulate us from all suffering is wrong.  God allows suffering even in the lives of the godly to accomplish His purposes. So, we resist the temptation to judge another and always extend love and concern to those in need. We sin when we assume that we are superior to those who suffer. However, it is foolish to think we can ignore the ways of God and then blame Him for withholding His blessings.

Christian, before you blame God for failing to bless, humbly consider your ways.  Look carefully and see if you’re walking with Him.  Ask if your emotions are tuned to His desires, if your mind is aligned to His truth, if your decisions are surrendered to His will. "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." (Galatians 5:25, NIV)

Meditate on this passage of promise today.
"How joyful are those who fear the Lord— all who follow his ways!
You will enjoy the fruit of your labor. How joyful and prosperous you will be!
Your wife will be like a fruitful grapevine, flourishing within your home.
Your children will be like vigorous young olive trees as they sit around your table.
That is the Lord’s blessing for those who fear him.
May the Lord continually bless you from Zion.
May you see Jerusalem prosper as long as you live.
May you live to enjoy your grandchildren. May Israel have peace!" (Psalm 128, NLT) Amen.

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How Rich Am I

How rich I am since Jesus came my way,

Redeemed my soul and turned my night to day,

How very rich, how very rich, I am.

Such peace and joy I never knew before,

And countless blessings from His boundless storem

How very rich, how very rich, I am.

There's a greater glory in a sunset,

A brighter twinkle in a star.

There's much more promise in a rainbow,

More music in a singing bird by far.

All things have changed, my eyes once blind can see.

The whole wide world is now a symphony.

And with all this Heav'n is my destiny-

How rich I am!

John W. Peterson

© 1956. Renewed 1984 John W. Peterson Music Company

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