My journey...
Monday, April 26, 2010
Blessings
I was in class the other day and we talking about God's blessings. And sometimes as Christians we seem to be worse off than the non-christians in wealth and materials. How then can we talk about blessings?
I think we need to firstly put away our world view of what blessings are. To the world, Blessings are things which are good. Riches, wealth, power, happiness. The Kingdom of God is always the opposite and perhaps in God's eyes, things which we may consider "Bad" are blessings. For examples, trials that we are going through or temptations. Things that help us to grow and mold our hearts.
Job was going through a lot of Calamities but to God, it was an opportunity to mold Job. It was a blessing in the end. In God's eyes, the important thing is a man's heart. Not his wealth. Not even how much power he has or how well known you are.
A butterfly has to squeeze out of its cocoon to push fluids out to its wings so that it can fly. If you remove that pressure, the butterfly will not be able to fly. It will have an easy journey out into the world but it will be useless. The difficult push out of the cocoon is a blessing to the butterfly.
That is why Romans 5:3-5 says "... also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
Perhaps this is the reason why we blame God that we cannot see His blessings. Because our idea of blessings is different from His? Our blessings comes when we walk closely to Him. When we learn to do His will and when we learn to walk with Him. When our hearts are shaped and molded to be more like His. Perhaps to the extent of participating in His suffering. Then we store up for ourselves treasures which are in heaven.
I think we need to firstly put away our world view of what blessings are. To the world, Blessings are things which are good. Riches, wealth, power, happiness. The Kingdom of God is always the opposite and perhaps in God's eyes, things which we may consider "Bad" are blessings. For examples, trials that we are going through or temptations. Things that help us to grow and mold our hearts.
Job was going through a lot of Calamities but to God, it was an opportunity to mold Job. It was a blessing in the end. In God's eyes, the important thing is a man's heart. Not his wealth. Not even how much power he has or how well known you are.
A butterfly has to squeeze out of its cocoon to push fluids out to its wings so that it can fly. If you remove that pressure, the butterfly will not be able to fly. It will have an easy journey out into the world but it will be useless. The difficult push out of the cocoon is a blessing to the butterfly.That is why Romans 5:3-5 says "... also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
Perhaps this is the reason why we blame God that we cannot see His blessings. Because our idea of blessings is different from His? Our blessings comes when we walk closely to Him. When we learn to do His will and when we learn to walk with Him. When our hearts are shaped and molded to be more like His. Perhaps to the extent of participating in His suffering. Then we store up for ourselves treasures which are in heaven.
posted by Janelle at 12:52 AM
6 Comments:
Did you shoot that image? Great butterfly picture..
Best regards..
Did you shoot that image? Great butterfly picture..
Best regards..
Dear eded_adonai.
Thank you for your comment.Yes I did take this picture. I found it in a garden. You can visit my photos at www.flickr.com/photos/moo-moo
If God did not want His children to have the blessings of riches and wealth, why was it that in the Old Testament when Israel followed God they had no want in their land and when they worshiped Baal and other idols they had famine and were defeated by their enemies? Read Deut. Chapter 28.
Otherwise, I think you make good points.
Hi Don,
Thank you for your comment. Perhaps I was too strong in the way that I write and portrays blessings as sufferings. I do however believe that God can also bless us materially. With wealth and riches and happiness. he is a good God and do takes care of our needs as well. But that is not the only definition of blessings.
Thank you for pointing this out.
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