How to Live IN the Blessings of God

 

Do you ever think, how come so and so's life is so blessed, but mine not so much?  If we are being honest, that thought probably has crossed all of our minds at one time or another.  We tend to look at the external blessings of someone as a sign that they are highly favored and blessed, but blessings don't just exist by external means.   Blessings come in all shapes and sizes.  We are ALL promised blessings from God, but do we actually live in those blessings...

Now, therefore, thus you shall say to my servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, I took you from the pasture, from following the sheep, that you should be prince over my people Israel.  And I have been with you wherever you went and have cut off all your enemies from before you. And I will make for you a great name, like the name of the great ones of the earth.  And I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more. And violent men shall afflict them no more, as formerly,  from the time that I appointed judges over my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies...

 And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. 

Your throne shall be established forever.’”  In accordance with all these words, 

and in accordance with all this vision, Nathan spoke to David.

2 Samuel 7:8-11

Here we see God recounting to David the blessings he has already been given and proclaiming the blessings David and the future generations WILL receive. Pronouncements of blessings are not just reserved for the men and women of the Bible for we too have a revelation from God of the blessings He has promised to us - the Word of God, but do we truly apprehend those blessings and live IN them.  

I believe that if we meditate upon and put into practice the following three considerations, we will enjoy God's blessings every minute of every day of our lives, truly living in those blessings.

What Does It Mean to be Blessed by God?

The Lord bless you and keep you!

The Lord’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you!

The Lord look upon you kindly and give you peace!

Numbers 6:24-26

The word bless means to speak well of.  Indeed, the Lord speaks well of us!  We are blessed just by being known by God and being His children.  He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die in our place so that we would receive the blessings of His eternal favor.  Those blessings are not just reserved for Heaven, but are ours to be enjoyed every day of our lives here on earth.

If Jesus were the only blessing we received, it would be enough for He has abundantly blessed us with Himself!  His grace, His redemption and His amazing love.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 

who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 1:3

In our humanness, we perceive blessings as receiving fame, fortune, good health and great relationships.  But a blessing doesn't always come wrapped up in a pretty package tied with a neat bow.  Sometimes blessings come in the midst of heartache.  Other times, the only way to receive the blessing, is by walking a hard road.

One of the greatest blessings we have received is the Holy Spirit, in whom we were sealed on the day of our salvation.  And it is through the Holy Spirit that we receive blessings to endure during a hard season - His presence, His help, His provision, His comfort. 

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, 

that He may be with you forever;

John 14:16

How to See God's Blessings in Your Life

One way to attract God's blessings to your life is to recognize that they are already there!  No one can stop God's blessings.  His blessings are there all around us and within us.   Evoking God's blessing is simply to acknowledge it.  When we bless someone, we aren't conjuring up a blessing from God, but proclaiming His existing blessing upon them.  

One of the main ways we see God's blessings is through His Word.  Throughout the Bible God's past, present and future blessings are outlined, all to edify and encourage us to live IN those blessings.

There are also additional ways to see God's blessings...

We see the blessings of God in His creation; 

We see the blessings of God in our breathing; in our hearts, in our minds and in our gifting

We see the blessings of God in our spouses, our children, our parents, and our extended families.

We see the blessings of God in His Grace and His mercy to us on a daily basis.

We see the blessings of God when we practice a grateful heart, searching for God in ALL things

We see the blessings of God in His provision and love.

We see the blessings of God in prayer, answered and yet to be answered.

We see the blessings of God in our heartache

We see the blessings of God in Jesus

Come, Thou Fount of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

Streams of mercy, never ceasing

Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet

Sung by flaming tongues above

Praise the mount, I'm fixed upon it

Mount of Thy redeeming love

Robert Robinson

Living a Life IN God's Blessings

The life of David shows what it means to live a life IN God's blessings.  David, a man after God's own heart, walked through a lot of hard seasons, some caused by the consequences of his own sin, and others due to the sins of men.  David enjoyed prosperity and rest as well.  In ALL those circumstances, David penned the Psalms where he humbly voiced his doubts, his concerns, his fears, but he didn't leave it there...  David always went on to praise God for His blessings - past, present and future.   

In Psalm 34, David extolled the Lord encouraging all who are afflicted to praise God along with him.  David lived IN God's blessings despite his affliction.

In Psalm 77, David's soul refused to be comforted.  He said he was so troubled he could not sleep.  So when there was nothing to rejoice about in his current circumstances, he remembered the past deeds of the Lord and His wonders of old.  Here we see David enjoying God's blessings, despite the anguish within him.

In Psalm 115:12-13, David acknowledges God's future blessings using language that is sure, with no shadow of doubt.  He lives in those blessings as if they were present blessings.

The Lord remembers us and will bless us:

    He will bless his people Israel,

    he will bless the house of Aaron,

he will bless those who fear the Lord—

    small and great alike.

Indeed, as the opening Psalm of this blog post indicates, David and Israel enjoyed rest, and his throne was established forever.  Through the line of David came Jesus our greatest blessing.

In order to live IN the blessings of God, we must take a page out of David's Psalms and live in a constant state of gratitude, for there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for in God's economy, no matter what the circumstances.  The more we practice gratitude, the more natural it will become to recognize God's blessings and the more our brains will rewire to apprehend and live IN those blessings.

Remember, even if you are walking through one of your toughest seasons, and you feel like all hope is gone, recount what the Lord has done for His people thousands of years ago, for a thousand years is like a day to the Lord.  Their blessings are your blessings in Christ Jesus.  

For similar posts, click on the following:

3 Reasons to Praise God When You Don't Feel Like It

How to Experience a Pleasant Life

How to Experience Joy in the Christian Life

3 Biblical Encouragements for Remaining Hopeful in Hardship

5 Biblical Ways to Enjoy Life and Have Fun

Enjoy!

Day Dreaming

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