Blessed to Be a Blessing预览

A New Understanding of Blessing

The world around us encourages you and me to have a crazy, mixed-up view of what blessing actually is. 

Just take a look around at the advertising on television and the internet screaming at us, “Buy me and you’ll be happy – that emptiness you feel inside will be gone!”

But the things of this world will never satisfy the deepest yearnings of our hearts because they’re simply not capable of doing that. 

Fortunately, God’s blessing is entirely different. It fills, it lasts, and, most importantly, it overflows. 

Of course, our natural tendency when we think about God’s blessing is to say, “Wow, things are going to get better for me. After all, blessing is divine favor. Now, what do I want?” 

You can see the danger. 

As we think about God blessing us, we impose the advertising industry’s tawdry perspective on the wonder of His blessing – and reduce it to some narrow, materialistic. It’s so easy to do the me, me, me thing. 

So, today, let’s put God’s blessing into the right perspective. And there’s no better place to start than with Jesus’ words in Luke 6:20–26.

In a nutshell, Jesus says, “Blessed are those who suffer today, for great will be your joy in heaven. And those of you who live comfortably at the expense of the suffering ones: watch out!” 

According to Jesus, blessing is about two things: 

1. When you’re suffering, know that the blessing is on its way. God’s blessing is based on the certain hope that, in Christ, you have a much better eternity coming your way. 

2. Blessing comes from what you give, not from what you receive. It comes when you give without the expectation of receiving something in return. 

God’s abundant blessing is not success or fame, career or wealth. It’s something much, much bigger than that – a deep and intimate and personal relationship with Jesus. 

So as we set out in this YouVersion plan to understand God’s blessing from His perspective, we will look at this notion of “blessing” through the lens of His truth rather than the world’s lies. 

And when you recognize that His ultimate goal in blessing you is to enable you to bless others – then, my friend, you will find yourself tapping into the rich vein of blessing that God wants to pour out on you.

 Life application questions 

• When you think about God’s blessings, what thoughts naturally come to mind? What is your usual “shopping list” before God?  
• Re-read Luke 6:20–29. What is God the Holy Spirit speaking into the midst of your circumstances today about God’s blessing? In your heart of hearts, are you ready to start thinking about God’s blessings in a different way?  
• To whom could you be a sacrificial blessing right now?  
• Now take a look at Luke 6:38. What do you hear God saying to you about His blessing in your life, going forward?