Prior to knowing Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior,I am not sure how I would have responded to the question, “What does it mean to be blessed?” . I used the term lucky a lot back then. So, I probably would have said that it meant you were lucky. Lucky is the term that most people use when they are avoiding the word “blessed”. Because we all know (deep down) that blessings come from God.
If we were to look up the definition of the word “lucky”, we would find that it means, “Good fortune or a happy outcome, especially by chance.” Good fortune or a happy outcome that occurs by chance!
Now, if we were to look up the definition of “blessed”, we would find that it has several meanings, such as, “consecrated; sacred; holy; sanctified or worthy of adoration, reverence, or worship; or divinely or supremely favored; fortunate; bringing happiness and thankfulness”. Notice that the word “lucky” never appears in this definition. Also, notice the divine nature of these terms.
Luck happens by chance. Blessings come from God.
Scripture reveals the difference between the terms, “lucky” and “blessed”.
God blesses us to equip and prepare us to do good works (good works which we know from Ephesians 2:10 that God has for all of us to do). “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8
There is no blessing that God holds back from those who love Him. “All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.” Ephesians 1:3.
If we believe what God says, He blesses us. When God speaks to us (whether it is through the Holy Spirit, others, or His word), He is blessing us. “Blessed is she who believed that what was spoken to her by the Lord would be fulfilled.” Luke 1:45.
And in Matthew 5:3-12, we find the ‘Beatitudes” which addresses every type of Spiritual blessing. “Blessed are: the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; those who mourn, for they will be comforted; the meek, for they will inherit the earth; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled; the merciful, for they will be shown mercy; are the pure in heart, for they will see God; the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God; those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
And finally, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11:12
God’s blessings are bountiful and never-ending. But we have to do a couple of things to see and receive them.
First, we need to have a personal relationship with Him. We can only obtain this through Jesus Christ. “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6.
We also have to be on the lookout for blessings from God. When we become self-focused, we might just disregard or miss them. For example, when we glance at a rainbow and just keep driving. Or, when we don’t stop to take in the beauty of the sunrise or sunset that He has provided. Or, when we are too preoccupied and miss the serenade of the birds in the trees. God’s creation declares His glory and, when it does, it is a blessing. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” Psalm 19:1.
Our friends and loved ones are blessings from God. Every additional day that He gives us is a blessing. The air that we breathe is a blessing from God. Everything good is from God. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17.
The personal blessings we receive from God are the intimate blessings that we should covet and desire. God’s Word provides us with instruction and guidance. His mercy keeps us from suffering the things that we deserve. His grace is the vessel through which we receive the things we don’t deserve (like His love). And finally, God’s love, which was given to us long before we loved Him back, is a blessing.
But the greatest of God’s blessings is Jesus. Through His sacrifice, we receive forgiveness, adoption as sons and daughters, an eternity in Heaven, and an intimate personal relationship.
If Jesus is our personal Lord and Savior, we are not lucky. We’re blessed.
Father, we praise You that You pour out such abundant blessings on us. We thank You that, even before we knew You, You loved and desired to bless us. Father, we praise and thank You for the blessing of forgiveness and redemption. We praise and thank You for Jesus! Father, forgive us for disregarding your blessings. Forgive us for disregarding You. Overwhelm us with your beauty. Don’t allow us to become self-focused. Forgive us for missing your blessings. And forgive us when we fail to give You thanks for all that You do and the bountiful blessings you pour out.
So, “What Does it Mean to be Blessed?” It means to be a son or daughter of the God of all creation. Because He is a good Father and He loves to provide/bless His children. “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” Matthew 7:11.
If don’t feel very blessed and wish you had better “luck”, please go to our Life Preserver page (https://forgiven-n-loved.com/life-preserver/). Once you get to that page, please pray the prayer outlined there. God will pour His blessings out on you. Through that prayer, God will bless you with mercy, grace, forgiveness, and a personal, intimate, and loving relationship. Please pray and once you have, reach out to me at admin@Forgiven-N-Loved.com and let me know. I’d love to be in prayer for you.
Luv Ya!
