Dear Missionary Lady,
Greetings in the name of the God who loves to bless His children. The book of Psalms declares in its very first verse that those who choose God’s paths over the paths of wickedness will be blessed. “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1).
The Psalms contain numerous statements that there is blessing to righteous men, and that such blessing proceeds from God. “For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous” (Psalm 5:12). That blessing is abundant and enduring. “For thou hast made him most blessed for ever” (Psalm 21:6).
Many of these verses identify the type of man who enjoys such rich and constant divine blessing. It is someone whom God has chosen. “Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee” (Psalm 65:4). It is someone who follows the true God. “Happy is that people, whose God is the LORD” (Psalm 144:15). It is someone who finds refuge in trusting God. “Blessed is the man that trusteth in him” (Psalm 34:8, also 2:12, 84:12, 40:4). It is someone who finds his strength in God. “Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee” (Psalm 84:5). It is someone who fears God and deliberately chooses to follow His paths. “Blessed is every one that feareth the LORD; that walketh in his ways” (Psalm 128:1, also 112:1 and 119:1). It is someone who seeks to do right. “Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times” (Psalm 106:3).
I dare say that every one of us can relate to those categories. We have chosen to follow God and have dedicated ourselves to walk in His paths. We don’t do it perfectly, but it is the desire of our hearts. We are all somewhere along that path of learning to trust in God as our refuge and draw our strength from Him.
Since we have pursued God and righteousness, it would then seem logical to expect the blessing of God, right? But have you ever found yourself thinking, “This doesn’t feel like blessing to me”? Perhaps in a time of great disappointment, intense trial, prolonged difficulty, or seeming fruitlessness, have you failed to perceive God’s blessing?
When I find myself thinking such thoughts, I try to remind myself, “Just because something doesn’t FEEL true doesn’t mean it ISN’T true.” If God said it, it IS true! So either I’m not perceiving something properly, or I don’t fully understand. If my feelings or even experience seems in conflict with God’s truth, then obviously I am missing something.
Sometimes my realization that I don’t fully understand leads me to pursue greater understanding. I know that I won’t always be able to understand things that God has reserved for Himself, but I also know that God’s Word is able to illuminate and provided increased understanding. If I have a question, God’s Word is the right place to go for answers. In this particular case, it led me to examine the Psalms for what it means to be blessed by God.
One thing I realized from the start is that we humans tend to evaluate blessing based on circumstances. Our inclination is to think of blessing as money in the bank, food on the table, family and friends around us, reasonably good health, and a flourishing ministry. Such material or visible manifestations are not always what God primarily thinks of when He considers blessing. Those things are often part of God’s blessing, but they are only the tip of the iceberg. The vast majority of God’s blessings are like the massive remainder of the iceberg that lies unseen beneath the water.
I went through the Psalms, specifically looking for insights about God’s blessings. For the most part, I tried to identify things that God declares as true or demonstrates as true, as opposed to something that a psalmist might be praying for or wishing for. Knowing that circumstances change, and that sometimes God’s plan is for adverse circumstances for a time, I tried to identify blessings that are independent of circumstances.
Another eye-opener is that sometimes the blessing of God becomes clear when we realize what it is like to be outside God’s blessing. In other words, the things that God says about the wicked provide a sharp contrast that highlight how truly blessed believers are.
For the next few months, I hope to share with you the fruit of this study. Even if you are not in a difficult time or are not wondering where God’s blessing is, I believe it will be very encouraging to review these realities about the immense blessing of God that He does show to His children.
May God’s blessing be on you in many ways this week!
Love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
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