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The Major Problem With #blessed

How many times do you see the hashtag Blessed while scrolling through your social media? Or in general how often do you hear other Christians say phrases like “we’re so blessed” as they discuss things like engagements, job promotions, vacations, college acceptance letters, or paying off a boatload of debt?

What’s wrong with saying “I am blessed” after any of these things? 

Nothing really – except that we might be failing to recognize what a real blessing is. 

Modern Day #blessed

I see comments on photos of “perfect” looking families posing in front of gorgeous landscapes in exotic locations and the quotes are often others telling the family how blessed they are. Or maybe the caption itself says something like “We are so #blessed.”

Or listen to this example in Ben Connelly’s book, Reading the Bible, Missing the Gospel about a family who just got a new Ferrari and posted a picture saying “Our new baby. #blessed” 

Ben questions, is that what it means to be blessed? 

Is it a blessing to pay a lot of money for a new sports car?

Is the blessing that they procured enough money to buy the car? Or at least enough to put a down payment on it after years of work?

A quick Instagram search for the hashtag blessed and we learn that it can mean taking a dream vacation, having a steak dinner, getting a good workout in, winning a junior varsity basketball game, kids going off to school, or the grand opening of a taco restaurant. It can also mean protection during a nasty car accident, having a baby, or getting a promotion. 

“One danger of missing the Gospel as we read the Bible is we can either think or we’re taught that if we follow Jesus, we’re on the track to the easy life. There are whole schools of theology that say God’s highest goal is to make His people as happy as possible in life. How does He make us happy? That depends on what happiness looks like to us – or, what we call #blessed.”

• Reading the Bible, Missing the Gospel, Ben Connelly

If happiness means being healed from disease, becoming debt-free, having that baby we’ve always wanted, obtaining enough riches to retire, climbing the corporate ladder, building the business we dreamed of, or marrying that person that makes us happiest no matter their gender – then of course that’s what God wants according to this kind of faith. 

And it’s God’s job to pave the way. 

The Problem With #blessed

This is like treating God like a vending machine, or as Connelly puts it in his book, like a clown at a circus who will make us a balloon in any size shape, or color we want. Of course, “I would never treat God like that!” we all proclaim! 

But if we treat God like this – we will never learn what to do or how to handle ourselves when something goes wrong. 

We think God forgets about us or he doesn’t want to give us blessings anymore once everything hits the fan. 

We then begin to wonder why?? Did I offend him? Does he not care? Did I do something wrong? Am I not praying loud or often enough? Maybe I need to perform better in order to receive more blessings?? 

All of these so-called blessings are really just versions of how the world defines success or achievement. Think about it… Getting into college, graduating, getting a good job, marrying a wonderful person, having beautiful babies together, sending them to school, buying nice houses, traveling on nice vacations, then retiring and having little responsibilities besides your social clubs?

These are the things we often slap a #blessed to.

And it’s not to say these aren’t wonderful things that God often provides for us to enjoy, but if THESE things specifically are His blessings, then what about the rest of the world who doesn’t even have the opportunity to experience these things because of where they were born, who they were born to, or what kind of world they were born into?

We Americans often equate affluence with God’s blessing on our lives. But if we do that, we also assume that every poor country must be spiritually dark. (But as many of, you probably know if you have gone on mission trips to these countries, they are often more spiritually alive than the many so-called Christians in the United States – curious)

And I’m not just calling out our friends around the world who live in developing countries, but what about the child who was born to a 20-year-old young mother outside of marriage, who is struggling with alcohol addiction, and is eventually tossed into the foster care system and bounces around it for years and eventually ages out? They are thrown into the “real world” without a family to call home to, the education to help them succeed, nor the confidence to take the next steps to get some of “God’s blessings” like a good job, or a nice home.

Is that child forgotten by God because they aren’t going to experience these blessings? Are they less blessed because they don’t experience the same kind of happiness and comforts the rest of us do?

Paul Tripp in his book Redeeming Money mentions how Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:19-33 that we are all treasure hunters, and in many ways, most of us are unaware of the fact that we tell ourselves that we will not be satisfied, happy, or experience inner rest until we are able to possess and experience what we have come to treasure. 

Jesus eventually reveals what he is trying to teach – it’s about a great spiritual war that somehow, some way, is fought on the battlefield of the heart of every human being. It is a battle between two kings fighting to expand their kingdom. One of these kings will guide your every decision and what you view as a victory AKA a #blessing. It is why Jesus says, No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24)

If We Aren’t #blessed, What Are We?

Theologian and author Andy Crouch says what we should really call it is #charmed. Why? Because the definition of charmed is to be magically held apart from harm, endowed for a time with a bubble of prosperity and power. 

By accepting all of these charms that we perceive to be blessings, we allow ourselves to be spiritually lazy. 

Have you stopped to consider that your happiness is not God’s greatest goal for your life? Have you considered that he might have something greater, yet more challenging than a smooth path to comforts? 

What if God doesn’t bless you with finances so you can build bigger barns? (in fact the guy in the Bible who did that was killed for it Luke 12:16-21) But rather to be able to bless your neighbors? Far beyond your 10% to the church?

Biblical Blessings – A Life For Others

My passion is to help you understand how the Gospel transforms your finances as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ. But oftentimes, we can read the Bible and totally miss the big picture and fall for a theology that often focuses on ourselves and our own little kingdoms, rather than the Kingdom of God.  

The Bible shows us that a truly #blessed life is one in which we are a blessing to others. 

The Old Testament shows blessings as favors, wealth, and power that God gives to his people not for their benefit but for God’s purposes, and often for the good of their neighbors.

Abraham’s blessing from God was so he could go and bless others. 

Gen 12:2 – “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.

There are people who were condemned for not using their blessings properly, like the parable of the unforgiving debtor, which is a story of a servant who was forgiven a massive (unrepayable) debt, only to refuse forgiveness to another servant who owed a relatively small debt. (Matthew 18:21-35)

Or the rich man I mentioned before, who died for building barns to store all of the excess crops he grew that year instead of using it for, I don’t know, to be a blessing to others??

If God’s blessings always helped others and glorified God, then the fullest form of a blessing is to give one’s life for the sake of God and others. Just as Jesus did for us!. 

While God’s definition of blessing is different from what the world sees as a blessing, his blessings are greater, more fulfilling, and eternal! His blessings invite us to participate in Kingdom building and give us the opportunity to serve others, be more generous, and even sacrifice for the glory of God. 

We are more blessed when we die to ourselves and become more like Jesus. Not necessarily when we walk through the stages of The American Dream. 

How To Use Your Blessings

So, if you have been blessed with wealth, you have been given that wealth to go and do something with. Spend some, save some, and give a lot away.

Consider how God might be asking you to use the #blessings he has given you. 

Your position, your power, your wealth, your retirement, your children even! 

Suffering Is A Blessing Too

But maybe you are not experiencing any of these #blessings, and rather you are in a place of financial strain or feel as though you are severely lacking. Is it possible that the sufferings we experience in life are a blessing from God? 

And if you are living in a place of financial stress, look for ways in which this time can still be a blessing for the sake of others.

It was the Apostle Paul, who says that his time in prison was a blessing because he was able to share the gospel with the prison guards. Think about your adverse experiences and how you might be able to bless others during these times.

Our pastor, Mike Slofstra, the other day shared that oftentimes, “the more you earnestly seek after Jesus to become more like him and to eradicate sin in your life, the more you will suffer.”

Suffering leads to intimacy with Christ. This is why Paul says he wants to understand Christ’s sufferings in Philippians 3:10. And you can only achieve this kind of intimacy with Christ in your suffering because in prosperity we are too distracted by the charms and comforts of life. 

Sometimes having so many #blessings is actually a disservice to our faith. Because we never get to a point where we truly need to rely on God. There are so many people around the world who have so little, and therefore have no choice, but to rely on God for everything. They have the opportunity each and every day to walk in pure faith. 

Have you noticed that before? 

Where Do We Go From Here?

I’m not telling you that you are a bad person for using #blessing on your photos of vacations, or of graduation, or anything else. And I’m not saying that those things aren’t blessings to begin with. 

I’m simply trying to help you recognize that God has many forms of blessings even if the things we might not think of as blessings could turn out to be for our good. 

I love the line from the song See a Victory by Elevation Worship that says “you take what the enemy meant for evil and you turn it for good” Every time I sing that line in church I think about all the “terrible” things that have happened to me and how God ultimately used it for my good but more importantly for His glory. 

One quick example is our 3 year infertility journey and how it has been a very painful road to walk, but if we hadn’t been on this path, we would have never become foster parents to 2 beautiful girls who have changed our lives, and second, I would not have the deeper relationship with Christ that I have with Him now because of the suffering I have endured in not getting what I felt like was a blessing I felt entitled to. 

I would encourage you to pause your endeavor to collect blessings as the world sees them and start desiring and seeking the real blessings God might have in store for you once you give up your pursuit of those other goals and dreams.

If you are looking for guidance and help on how to do that with your finances I’d encourage you to sign up for my free Budgeting for Believers Class. 

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