What It Takes to Be Truly, Bountifully Blessed

Do you consider yourself blessed? If you think that you are, what does that mean to you – to be blessed?

The word “blessed” is bandied about quite a lot, and it seems to mean different things to different people. Usually it’s attached to good things, like a new job, a new house, a new car, having good health, marking important achievements. High school athletes receiving scholarship opportunities often post on social media stating they are “blessed” by XYZ University’s offer.

But is that what it means to be truly blessed – having good things happen to us? What about when things aren’t going particularly well? Does that mean we’re not blessed?

Recently I came across a poem that I thought offered a little bit different, refreshing look at this subject. The late William Arthur Ward, who was a writer and poet, is credited with this concise, but powerful description of what it means to be blessed:

“Blessed is the man…

For whom a good woman lives,

To whom his work is a pleasure,

By whom his friends are encouraged, 

With whom all are comfortable,

In whom a clear conscience abides, and

Through whom his children see God”

I don’t know about you, but I like his point of view. It doesn’t focus on “stuff,” but rather one’s character and the relationships we have, including with God. Ultimately, those are the things that will last; we might enjoy the material things we have, but as we’re often reminded, when our days on earth have come to an end, we can’t take them with us.

His perspective seems to echo what we find in the Scriptures, where we find hundreds of references to blessings and what God thinks about them.

One familiar passage tells us, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night…” (Psalm 1:1-2). It goes on, but basically we’re told it’s a blessing to concentrate on God and His teachings, and to avoid hanging out with people who can influence us in the wrong ways.

The subject of blessings recurs in the Psalms. For instance, we’re told, “Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart” (Psalm 119:1-2). After describing people who pursue God as their “fortress, stronghold and deliverer,” David declared, “Blessed are the people of whom this is true; blessed are the people whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:15).

In His sermon on the mount, Jesus Christ opened His message by explaining what it means to be blessed in an eternal sense: 

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:3-12).

We could cite numerous other passages, but it’s clear that the Lord views being blessed very differently from the way we typically look at it. We live in a temporary, tangible world, but we are admonished to train our focus on forever.

As the apostle Paul explains, “while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).

So, let me ask again: Do you consider yourself blessed?

Bothered By ‘Blessings’

There’s an old saying concerning communication: “It’s not what you say – it’s exactly what you say.” So it’s implicit that before words easily slip off our tongues, there’s no harm in pausing to consider the impact of what we say upon our hearers.

This came to mind as I read an online article by Scott Dannemiller, a former missionary. The article was entitled, “The One Thing Christians Should Stop Saying.” What is that one thing, according to Dannemiller? “Feeling blessed.”

Even in the midst of storm clouds, a
rainbow can reveal God's blessings.
(Photo by Joe Ehrmann)

As he explains, “I’ve noticed a trend among Christians, myself included, and it troubles me. Our rote response to material windfalls is to call ourselves blessed. Like the ‘amen’ at the end of a prayer.”

I’ve often observed this, too – and been guilty of it. Successfully recovering from health setbacks, we declare how “blessed” we are. We acquire a new (or newer) car, complete with high-tech gizmos, and tell others it’s a “blessing.” A businesswoman reports how God continues to “bless” her business with growth and profits. Or we attend a gathering at someone’s gorgeous, expansive home, compliment them on it, and they reply, “Yes, God’s really blessed us with it.”

Sounds good, right? Giving credit to the Lord, where it’s due. Readily acknowledging good things that come into our lives and work, expressing gratitude to God for His provision. In one sense, that’s as it should be.

But what about those who suffer from chronic, even terminal illnesses – with no prospect of experiencing good health again? Are they not blessed? And if not, why? What about the folks stuck with clunkers for vehicles, who can’t afford anything better? Is God mad at them? The businessman who strives to honor God in all he does, yet sees his company continue to flounder. Why hasn’t the Lord “blessed” him? A struggling couple who love Jesus admire the splendid home but can’t help but wonder, “Why hasn’t God blessed us like this?”

As Dannemiller pointed out, in our American culture we tend to equate God’s blessings with material prosperity and physical well-being. But taking a close look at the Scriptures, that’s not necessarily the biblical view.

Jesus told His followers, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Trouble? Where’s the blessing in that, right?

Writing to believers in the city of Corinth, the apostle Paul declared, “as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance, in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger” (2 Corinthians 6:4-5). Could it be God didn’t like Paul as much as we thought?

Paul and another apostle, James, exhorted followers of Jesus to “rejoice in our sufferings” (Romans 5:3) and “consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds” (James 1:2). What kind of “showers of blessings” are these?

When the Bible speaks about blessings, much of the time it offers a perspective that doesn’t take into account materialistic rewards.

In Matthew 5, His so-called “Sermon on the Mount,” Jesus talked about those blessed that are “poor in spirit,” “those who mourn,” “the meek,” “those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” and “those who are persecuted.” Hardly the kinds of things we would feel blessed about, but as He explained, each of these conditions cause people to draw closer to God, perhaps the greatest blessing of all.

The very first psalm also offers a non-materialistic view of blessings. It states, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers” (Psalm 1:1). He’s blessed by not associating with disreputable people that can have a negative, ungodly influence on him.

This isn’t to say God can’t or doesn’t bless us in tangible ways, because many times He does. But trials and adversities that move us closer to God often can prove to be great blessings, while material possessions that become idols, objects of our affections, can prove instead to be a curse by distracting us from God.

When Jesus was approached by a woman in a crowd, He told her, “Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28). Do you want to be blessed? Simply do what the Lord tells you to do in the Scriptures. Then, regardless of your circumstances – good or bad – you can truthfully declare, “I’m greatly blessed.”