YOU ARE BLESSED

 “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.“ – Philippians 4:12

Most of us could quote the verse immediately after this one without opening the cover of our bible.  I’ll give you a hint; it starts with “I can do all... “ 

That’s right; “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” {Phil 4:13}  It’s important to realize why Paul the Apostle was saying this.  It is not a verse to stand alone, no, it is the conclusion to his statement above in Phil 4:12. 

Are you blessed?  Do you consider that God has blessed you in this life?  What happens when you don’t receive the blessing you feel you deserve?  Was there ever a promise in the scriptures that says your life will be easier by following God?  It’s interesting to contemplate who we think God is, and just what He owes us.

More and more, I see people blame God when things go wrong, and analyze until they’re blue in the face why God didn’t do this or didn’t fix that.  Is that who we believe God to be?  The one to fix our problems and get us out of situations that our actions have gotten us into?  Let’s look at the examples we have from scripture:

David – murdered the husband of the woman he had an affair with after discovering that she was pregnant with his child……God help me

Moses – From the luxuries of Pharaoh’s palace to the desolation of Mount Horeb as a shepherd after killing an Egyptian in defense of an Israelite slave who was being beaten at the time …… Why God?

Moses – Never enters Canaan after leading the Israelites out of Egypt and wandering in the desert for 40 years ….. What are you doing, God?

Job – A favored child of God, a man who lived by the law and did no wrong; lost his family, his possessions, his house, and his health at the hand of Satan, with the full blessing of God the Father….. Why me, God?

Matthew – born Levi, studying the scripture to be a Pharisee or Priest, turned from his heritage and God, for an unknown reason, to become a tax collector for Rome ….. I turn my back on you, God

Paul – Educated at University to be a Pharisee, highly exalted amongst his Jewish peers, destined for a life of luxury.  Then salvation and hardship - shipwrecked, beaten near death, imprisoned multiple times, life threatened time and time again, and in the end died at the hand of the Romans for his faith…. To serve God is my blessing

Just a few examples of the men we find in scripture that we hold up as our mentors and our examples.  Each struggled mightily in life, and it is my belief that they were much closer in their walk with God than I will ever be.  Am I truly that entitled to a life of no hardship, no struggles, and no grief simply because I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord?

God gave me salvation through His Son Jesus Christ.  He owes me nothing more.  My life is a representation of His love for mankind, if I choose to use it for that purpose.  Even then, I am not promised a life with no struggle, no heartache, and no pain.  Yet, I choose to remain faithful through it all, trusting that God is Sovereign and is in control.  I don’t need to understand it, I just need to trust that I am His child, born again, and will one day lay my head upon His lap in peace.  Until then, it is my job to wake up each day and praise Him, regardless of my circumstances. 

God doesn’t leave your side when you are struggling, hurting, or in need.  He doesn’t abandon you, and He isn’t punishing you by allowing these things.  I do not believe God exists to make my life comfortable and to ensure that I am happy.  I exist for Him, not the other way around.  I am not entitled to anything in life; everything I have is more than I deserve because when it all comes down to it, I deserve to go to Hell.  God has already given me more than I could or should ever want, and that is eternal life in Heaven with Him and Jesus Christ.  I am very Blessed indeed.