The Blessing Never Stops

The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting,
But diligence is man’s precious possession.

- Proverbs 12:27 -

I recently heard about a friend’s choice to leave their job. It was a job that God had clearly spoken into their life. The job was intended to be a gateway for blessing. However, the Word of God came to them saying that the job would first be a test and a cesspool of trials. They went in knowing that the job was made to stretch them and their own human sensibilities. And so I was sad as I thought of how easily/quickly this person seemed to have given up on God. But then I quickly remembered that I’ve done the same. I realized that there are times when I know others must be saddened by my decision to abandon my blessing in the midst of the struggle.

Have you ever questioned your blessings? I mean, really…be honest. Have you ever thought that something was a blessing from the Lord…no…you knew it was only something that God could have provided; then at some point into the manifestation of that blessing, you began to have some doubts? Perhaps you were almost homeless with bad credit when the Lord orchestrated a wonderful home for you that was fully paid for? Or maybe you met and married “the one” and knew that God had made a way for you beyond your single life? It could have been the child that you prayed so hard for, that you were prophesied to about, who finally arrived after infertility diagnoses from the doctors? Maybe a bill was paid that you truly believed God had made a way for? No matter what it was, you gave God all the glory for the blessing.

But some time after the house started showing signs of a leaky roof, the husband signs of infidelity, the child signs of addiction and truancy, and the bills never quite turning right side up you began to question the blessing. You began to question God. “God I know I prayed for this job after being unemployed for two years but now the folks on this job are getting on my nerves!” It’s at that time that I’ve often seen people develop amnesia. How quickly we forget that the very thing we curse with our mouths was the same thing that once blessed us so deeply.

I drove through a neighborhood the other day and saw this man sitting in a huge lawn on a bucket. He appeared to be pulling weeds. And as I drove back through that subdivision a few hours later, he was still at it and again a couple of hours thereafter. His task seemed daunting to me. He didn’t have a huge hoe or special chemicals to combat his lawn with. He used the tools God had given him (his hands) and slowly, diligently made his way across his lawn. As I watched him I could imagine that his diligence was a sign that he cherished his home/lawn and perhaps even cherished the process. As I passed him, the Lord said that’s how I want you to cherish the process.

Sometimes, you may feel like you have been shorted on tools, you may think that this huge blessing has suddenly become a curse, you may believe that God has forsaken you. But today I want to remind you that God wants you to cherish the process, to act with diligence and to continue to praise Him despite how daunting the task ahead may seem. In fact...allow diligence to be your precious possession just as Proverbs 12:27 says. Remember that your blessing never stopped being a blessing…you simply have to continue to adjust your vision to keep seeing it that way.

Be encouraged,

Pastor Andrea