Blessed. I see this word popping up more and more places. T shirts, car magnets, coffee mugs. The other day I was behind a luxury car with a license plate frame that read, “Blessed by God, Spoiled by my husband.” While we should recognize and celebrate abundant goodness, sometimes I think the message is little more than an advertisement: “I have a really great life.”
What does it actually mean to be blessed? Does it mean that life is easy or that we get what we want? By definition, the word ‘blessed’ means to be made holy, and that tends to look a whole lot different than a nice house, a fancy car, or even an enjoyable group of family and friends.
We tend to think on some level that if we’re Christians, life should be effortless. But history tells us it often doesn’t work that way. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship King Nebuchadnezzar’s gold statue, and they wound up in the furnace (Daniel 3). Our approach would be to ensure they never entered the furnace. But which is a greater miracle? The king changing his mind, or three men thrown into a furnace and emerging unscathed from the flames? Only one results in God being praised.
Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him.” Daniel 3:28
Jesus said, “God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is given to you. God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied. God blesses you who weep now, for the time will come when you will laugh with joy. God blesses you who are hated and excluded and mocked and cursed because you are identified with me, the Son of Man” (Luke 6:20-22). Unpleasant circumstances are often the tools God uses to make us holy.
God’s goal is to enlarge us by making us the recipients of His favor. It’s just that the path there looks very different from the one we want to travel. We’d like to join God’s team and have an undefeated season. But God says challenges make you a better player. Your skills improve when you face opposition. Your edge is sharpened when you hone it against adversity. Then He assures us that our “light and momentary troubles” are part of His design to bless us (2 Corinthians 4:17).
On some level perhaps this isn’t exactly what we want God to do. We would just like Him to come in and tidy things up a bit. When He undertakes a complete renovation, we’re surprised. But He’s working with a place that’s been condemned. What choice does He have other than to rip it down to the studs so He can relay the foundation, remediate the mold, remove all that’s rotten?
On the days when we’re without resources, longing for more, overflowing with grief, feeling left out, those are exactly the days when we need to get out the #blessed banner. God is doing something here, something only He can do, something that will result in praise when He’s finished. He’s building something more beautiful, more exquisite than we can possibly imagine – a palace fit for a King.