Wouldn’t it be reassuring to know you can receive exactly what you prayed for? You can. But, it won’t be based on who you are or what you have earned. No, instead it will be because of God’s goodness and his love for you. It is His good pleasure to reward those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6)
2 Chronicles 16:9, Living Bible
“For the eyes of the Lord search back and forth across the whole earth, looking for people whose hearts are perfect toward him, so that he can show his great power in helping them.”
So, what hinders God’s blessings? People who are not ready to receive. We are not ready to receive when we:
- Don’t think anything good will happen to us.
- Don’t think we are worthy or deserving of a blessing (really now, who is?). All gifts are given because the Giver is gracious.
- Feel guilty if anything good happens, and explain it away as luck or anything other than God’s favor.
This type of thinking is not humility, it is sin. It is sinful thinking because it is contrary to the Word of God and it nullifies the purpose of Jesus’ atonement (right-standing with God purchased by his blood sacrifice) for us. When we think lowly of ourselves, we send God this message: Jesus’ sacrifice was a waste of time–plus it wasn’t good enough to take away my sins.
The truth is: Who Jesus is and what he did, more than makes up for who we aren’t and what we have or haven’t done. Pray and be sure–God wants to bless you because he wants to bless Jesus, who has made his home in your heart. If nothing else makes you confident, this will…
Jesus wants you to have everything he deserves! He is actually praying for you right now. (Hebrews 6:19-20) So what is Jesus asking God the Father for?
John 17:21-23, New Living Translation
“My prayer for all of them is that they will be one, just as you and I are one, Father — that just as you are in me and I am in you, so they will be in us, and the world will believe you sent me. I HAVE GIVEN THEM THE GLORY YOU GAVE ME, so that they may be one, as we are — I in them and you in me, all being perfected into one. Then the world will know that you sent me and will understand that you love them as much as you love me?”
Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.Net