Blessings to you, bless your heart, bless you, be blessed statements said or the variations of these phrases on t-shirts, coffee mugs, home decor, are seen daily but what about blessing?   The word or phrase blessing is used often.  Are we really thankful for blessings, and really speaking blessings over one another, and really taking notice of all the blessings we have; or have we become numb and expectant of them? Do we even take blessing seriously?

So what is a blessing?

According to dictionary.com

1. The act or words of a person who blesses.
2. A special favor, mercy or benefit:
3. A special favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.
4. The invoking of God’s favor upon a person:
5. Praise; devotion; worship, especially grace said before a meal
6. Approval or good wishes

 

We have blessings from God literally everywhere! Definition 3 states, “a special favor or gift bestowed by God, thereby bringing happiness.”  Food, clothing, housing, jobs, and numerous other items around our homes bring us happiness.  Many beautiful blessings are given to us in the relationships we have.  Encouraging words exchanged, speaking God’s favor to someone as definition 4 mentions is blessing. Blessings can come through our senses, being able to see, hear, feel, taste & smell, God created us to experience. Blessings in giving and receiving love bring delight. Literally everything we do and have is tied to another blessing. We have the ability to bring blessing that God has given us and share it throughout our life. So what are we doing with these blessings? Do we realize the depth of blessing upon blessing we are continually given?

God in his goodness has given us many blessings to fill our lives. Ephesians 1:3 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.”
This amazes me, I am not even sure we can humanly fathom what, “every spiritual blessing in Christ” is!  That is a lot of blessings! Some of those blessings include: salvation, a place prepared in heaven by Jesus, victory in Christ to name a few. May we cultivate a heart within us that lives in this beautiful blessed truth!

So lets look at what posture we are living life from.

There are so many blessings all around that they can become something taken for granted. Some days or seasons begin to feel mundane, and some complaining ensues, some “wanting more” can totally distract us for being so thankful for all the blessings that surround. Attitudes of “I have to”: get up, not thankful I can walk, not thankful I can get up from my bed, and get up from a bed that is in a room, under a roof. How about the ability to go to work, or have a car to drive, or the blessing of electricity and running water?  The list continues: clothes to choose from to wear each day, the blessing of a washing machine to wash these clothes. The door to my house that keeps the elements out. Blessings of health. How about the glorious blessing of God’s Word within reach? Be it the Bible to open or an app to search and read Scripture, God has given us His Word!!!!!!!!!

Negative attitudes stem from taking for granted the blessings God has lavished on us. I use the word lavished because if a list was started with all the blessings around, it would be so lengthy it would be hard to find an end to the list.

 I am the first to say I have been distracted and have taken for granted so many blessings. There have been several instances and unfortunately seasons(years) in my life when I was not living in joy or living in a thankful heart. During this time I missed some very sweet blessings God was holding out for me to receive. Anytime complaining happens, or frustrations are allowed to be the focus, or a prideful attitude is allowed,  sweet blessings are missed because life is being lived in opposition to the way God instructs. He instructs us to praise and thank Him because in this posture of the heart we see and experience so much blessing, even in the midst of difficult circumstance.

Praising God for each blessing is a great way to keep in perspective how much God has given us, and keep our heart posture in line with God.   Daily thanking God for blessing after blessing causes life to be lived in a completely different way. If I wake up thanking God for this bed I slept in and thanking God for the life He is waking me up to each day my whole take on the day is going to be completely different than if I begin with thoughts of “great, I have to get out of bed, & have to make breakfast & have to get dressed”. (Confession, this was me Monday) It is important to train ourselves to praise God for blessings all day long, so we stay mindful of these wonderful blessings. So let’s seek God to help us!

 I ask you if you would like to join me in a prayer:

God to help us live in continual praise for the blessings, help us wake up with praises in our hearts and minds to You. Grant us a mouth that speaks worship to you and godly encouragement and blessing over the people you place in our daily lives. We praise you that you have placed your Word in our hearts and in our hands. We thank for our beds, homes, friends & family. Thank you for the unique abilities you have given each of us. Thank you for the indescribably amazing blessing of salvation in Jesus, and every spiritual blessing you have blessed us with. Keep our hearts and minds in you.  Guide our eyes to see all the blessing you pour out in every circumstance, so that no matter the circumstance, we praise you for the blessing that you never leave us or forsake us. Help us to recognize quickly when we begin thinking in ways that are prideful, frustrated, or greedy; that we may turn and begin listing all the ways you have blessed us in the past and all the ways we are blessed in the moment. Today open our eyes to see blessings we have been overlooking and taking for granted.  We desire to live the full abundant life Jesus came to give us and we worship you for all the blessings we are given. Make us people who receive and give blessing and bring glory to you.  In Jesus Name, Amen