Expectation of Blessing
Sometimes we have expectations when it comes to being blessed, some of which God never intended to fulfill. We call those unrealistic expectations. For example, in my 50-year trek of faith, I’ve noticed that what should be considered the “icing on the cake” of our Christian faith, some expect to be the actual cake! Then they wonder why God doesn’t hand out daily, generous slices of such blessing as a perpetual part of the diet (or walk) of the believer.
Some of these dear saints begin to question God when their expected cake is only crumbs. When these unrealistic standards of blessing aren’t met, many walk away from the faith. In other words, there are those whose entire faith is dependent upon whether or not God blesses them in the way they assume He should bless them. What should we really expect from God?
Wendi and I recently met one of our missionary friends for breakfast. He shared stories of what was happening in a part of the world that is unfriendly to Christianity, to say the least. In this area dominated by another faith, being a believer in Christ makes you a distinct minority. If you commit your life to Christ, you have made a real commitment, one that could cost you your life! In fact, many of these converts had become trained pastors with churches whose families and flocks had paid heavy prices for following Jesus. Many had given their lives.
Our friend told us about specific pastors who once had homes that were burned down, leaving their families to live in the bush. Their congregations, formerly worshipping in buildings, were meeting outside, desperately trying to avoid further persecution. Yet oddly enough, these believers expressed a sense of blessing! They felt blessed to be counted worthy to suffer for the name of Christ! As our friend shared that response on the part of these believers in a foreign land, it sounded so “New Testament,” so “Book of Acts.” And that’s exactly where such an attitude toward suffering for Christ can be found.
After Peter and the Apostles were taken before the Council in Jerusalem and testified about Christ, they were flogged. Their response? “Why me, Lord? Here I am serving You and this is the thanks I get!?” Not quite their reaction! Instead, we see this: “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Acts 5:41).
The Apostles had a heavenly perspective! Peter, one of those Apostles, later wrote in his first epistle about our hope of salvation through Christ. He encouraged the readers that.
In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:6-7).
When Jesus said, for example, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they shall be satisfied” (Matthew 5:6), that righteousness is yet to come! Heaven is a place where we will literally be gorged on righteousness (the literal meaning of “satisfied” in that verse)! To experience being blessed, we look forward to a world where righteousness will surround us. Quite the opposite of this world!
We can mope through trying times like this saying, “I don’t feel blessed, I don’t feel blessed…” or, we can claim the real promises of blessings from God, “who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (Ephesians 1:3). Those are yours in Christ when you identify with Him. Whether in suffering, or celebration, frosting, or no frosting, it’s all good!
“But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed” — 1 Peter 3:14