Blessed

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places.

In modern-day culture, the true meaning of the word blessed has been hijacked. Many people define it as having worldly success, good health, and abundant riches.

But the more I read Scripture, the more I realize that the meaning of blessing is countercultural—and so much deeper than the world’s definition. Here are a few examples of types of people the Bible describes who are truly blessed: those who know Christ, those who are called according to his purpose, those who believe his Word, those whose sins are forgiven, those who live for the Kingdom of God, and those who suffer for Christ (see Matthew 16:16-17; Romans 8:28; Luke 11:28; Psalm 32:1; Matthew 6:33; Luke 6:22). It has made me wonder . . .

Is the blessing of God only the food on the table, or is it also the dry ground beneath the farmer’s feet that makes him drop to his knees, earnestly praying for rain to soak the soil?

Is it only when your business grows and surpasses milestones, or is it also when you have to make the painful decision to close shop and follow God’s leading down a new path?

Is it only when the pews of a church are packed on a Sunday, or is it also when the church meets secretly in a home, knowing persecution is right outside the door?

Is it only when health is vibrant and you’re in the best shape of your life, or is it also found when you’re enduring chemo and a stranger drops by your hospital room to pray with you?

Perhaps the blessing of God is both/and—the food on the table and the barren soil, the healthy checkup and the news that upends your plans. Maybe what is truly a blessing from the Lord doesn’t look like abundance or ease but suffering and hardship that drives you to your knees.

The greatest blessing to ever reach our doorstep came through an infant, the Son of God, whose arrival did not appear to human eyes to be blessed. Thirty-three years later, Jesus suffered an excruciating death. The very hands that formed the world were nailed to a cross as his blood, which had the power to save, trickled to the ground. From death came God’s best blessing.

Blessings aren’t found only in good health, success, or achievement. It isn’t experienced when you fit into a certain clothing size, gain a new relationship, or buy your dream home. No, true blessing is found when we are merciful to others, when we hunger and thirst for righteousness, when we strive for peace, when we are persecuted because of Jesus, and when we are pure in heart and poor in spirit (see Matthew 5:1-12). When we conform our lives to Christ, we enjoy eternal blessings found only in him (Romans 12:1-2).

When we are tempted to limit God’s blessings to having our prayers answered in the way we desire, we’d be wise to remember his definition of blessing. It is often in the face of suffering we know Christ more and learn what it truly means to be blessed.

Word before World In Christ, you are blessed beyond measure—even if those blessings don’t look the way you imagine or expect.

Grow in Grace Think of a time you limited God’s definition of what it means to be blessed. With the help of hindsight, were you able to see how God brought blessings that went beyond what you hoped for in the moment?