When my husband and I adopted our first child as well as the two who followed, well-meaning folks often declared, “How blessed are your children to have you as parents!”
I replied, “Not them. Me. They are God’s blessings to me.” And I meant it.
He calls all who are in Christ — who embrace Jesus as Savior — blessed. It’s another aspect of your true identity in Christ.
Mary’s Story
Mary, the mother of Jesus, embraced this name. In the gospel of Luke, she humbly boasts, “From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name” Luke 1:48,49, NIV.
Do you embrace your blessedness? The word “bless” means to speak well of someone. Mary’s song in Luke praises God’s choice to exalt the humble and to diminish the proud. It’s the great reversal. The strong shall be weak, and the weak become strong.
The apostle Paul confirms your blessedness.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing. Ephesians 1:3
God blesses believers. He has given you every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. Every means every. . .even when you feel “less than.” You cannot get more blessing. You have it all. How does knowing you are blessed now change your attitude about yourself? about God?
Life Is a Battle
Financial struggles, tough emotions like fear, anger, and depression, illness, grief, confusion — these challenges wage war in our mind, body, and soul. Yet God’s blessings prepare us for success in battle with the forces of evil who also are part of the heavenly realms (that is, the unseen spiritual world).
So we need not feel “less than,” for God has armed us with every blessing we need to win. Among the fiercest battleground: the mind. The apostle Paul says,
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2
Don’t Forget!
God knows we need to remember our blessedness when the Satan dupes us with lies, which may have a kernel of truth.
A while back, I stupidly locked my keys in my minivan. My self-talk turned toxic and tangled: “Stupid, stupid, stupid. Lucy, you are stupid.” Forgetful, yes. Stupid, nope. Yet Satan insisted I am and tried to get me to agree with him and spiral downward into a pit of pessimistic thinking.
Who should I believe? Satan or God? Who should you believe?
Get Your Hope On
The Lord wants you to know hope, to live hope. Listen to these amazing words of blessing for you.
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life. (James 1:12(
Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. (Luke 6:21)
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God. Matthew 5:6-8
photo credit: Leonard John Matthews via photopin cc
Sharing Hope with Your Heart,
You are so right, Lucy! We have to battle Satan’s lies (and our negative self-talk) with God’s truth. And He loves us so much! Yes–we’re truly blessed! I’ll remember this today. Thank you.
Janet, thanks for your encouragement. I think we often let our negative thinking get the best of us and we get stuck and even depressed. I’m glad I helped. 🙂