Do you look at other people and feel like God has skipped over you–like there was a line for blessings and you never got the invite?
Watching others get blessed while you continue to struggle or suffer can be frustrating and discouraging.
Scripture is clear that God loves to bless His children.
Isaiah 30:18 says, “Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!”
And Matthew 7:11 tells us, “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!”
You might be saying, that’s wonderful, then why isn’t God blessing me?
In my time as a Bible teacher and counselor, I have found that there are 5 common reasons why you’re not seeing God’s blessings flowing in your life.
Reason #1: You’re complaining
Make no mistake, murmuring is a sin. Phil 2:14-15 tells us, “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”
Sadly complaining is a prevalent and almost “acceptable” sin in our society. There are those who would never think of committing murder or adultery but they can’t keep from grumbling.
Maybe you say, “I’m just venting” or, “I’m just being real.” Here’s what God has to say.
In Numbers 12:1-2, “Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.2 ‘Has the Lord spoken only through Moses?’ they asked. ‘Hasn’t he also spoken through us?’ And the Lord heard this.”
And He was MAD. After He finished speaking with them, Miriam’s skin was diseased with leprosy. She was subsequently healed, but make no mistake—complaining and murmuring infuriates God.
Reason #2: Your attitude stinks.
In Philippians 1:27 the Apostle Paul wrote from a prison cell in Rome about the attitude that Christians should have. “Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.”
This means that no matter what’s happening in your life, no matter your circumstances or feelings, we are to conduct ourselves just like Jesus (Philippians 2:5).
Instead of an attitude of:
entitlement
assumption and presumption
negativity
criticism
faithlessness
ingratitude
…we as Christians are called to a higher standard. If we want the higher-level blessings, we must be willing to take up our cross and follow Him in all His ways.
A bad attitude can be a blessing block. On the other hand, the right attitude will get the attention of God.
Reason #3: You’re in sin.
If there is unconfessed sin in your life, it could be affecting your relationship with God and affecting His handout of blessings. God is all about relationship. So, if He’s not blessing, perhaps the relationship is strained through disobedience in your life or habitual sin that you are not surrendering to Him.
After instructing believers to pray with the right motives, James instructs, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.” James seems to be implying that as we get the relationship right with God, and maintain a level of humility, the blessings—or promotions—will flow.
Reason #4: You’re not asking for the right thing.
In this WIIFM (what’s in it for me) world, everything is all about me, me, me. Demanding what you want simply because you want it isn’t good for you. Would you give the keys to your car to a five year old?
Psalm 84:11 assures us “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” That shielding aspect of God’s character might be protecting us from something we’re asking God for that isn’t necessarily God’s best for us. In that case, what we assume is a blessing might not be a “good thing” for us, after all. Trust God with what you don’t see.
Reason #5: You are being blessed, you just don’t see it.
If you are confusing blessings with happiness, then you may be missing it. If you have an unrenewed mind that leans towards the negative and always sees the glass as half empty, it’s likely that you are not seeing the beautiful blessings that are all around you.
Did you wake up this morning? Do you have food to eat? That’s more blessings than many have.
God can’t help but bless us. Ephesians 1:3 says God has “blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.” The next 11 verses describe, in detail, our eternal inheritance if we are trusting in Christ Jesus for our salvation.
You would do well to ask for the scales from your eyes to be removed to see the glorious blessings that are right before you. God will not bless those who act like victims but aren’t. Trust me, He has blessed you more than you realize.
When I think of the goodness of Jesus, I remind myself that if God does nothing else for me in this life, providing me eternal salvation through Jesus was more than I deserved.
If you are the type to think the worst and run the what if’s and focus on the negative, you’ll want to check out this video here on How to Stop Overthinking.
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