Are you feeling “skipped over” when it comes to God’s blessings in your life?
Sometimes it’s easy to feel neglected when we look around at others who appear to be prospering and we appear to be getting the short end of the stick when it comes to God’s favor.
We know from Scripture that God is a good God who loves to bless His children (Matt. 7:11). At the same time, God knows our hearts, what we are capable of struggling with, and what’s around the corner for us, so if He chooses not to bless in a certain area, that might even be a blessing in itself.
Based on three decades of ministering to others as a pastor’s wife and Bible teacher, and seeing the blessings of God come and go in my life and in the lives of others, here are just five reasons God might not be blessing your life:
- You haven’t asked for the blessing.
How many times do we get disgruntled at God because He hasn’t provided for us when we haven’t taken the time to even ask Him for what we specifically need? Sure, God knows our needs. But He wants a relationship with us in which we come to Him, in faith, and ask for what we need.
Scripture says “You do not have because you do not ask God” (James 4:2). And Jesus told His followers: “Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete” (John 16:24). Start asking specifically and see what God wants to teach you about asking, trusting, and being thankful.
2. You haven’t asked in faith.
If you’re asking God for blessings and He’s still not answering that prayer, it could be that you are not asking in faith, truly believing He will answer. Jesus told His followers: “Whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith” (Matthew 21:22) and “whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours” (Mark 11:24).
Jesus said everything is possible to the one who believes (Mark 9:23). If you’re having trouble believing that, ask Him to help your unbelief. Jesus honored the sincerity of the man who asked for something and followed it up with “help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24).
3. You’re asking with the wrong motives.
Have you ever wondered why God doesn’t answer people’s prayers to win the lottery? James 4:3 gives us insight: “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.”
Try asking God for blessings that will help you bless others. Or try asking Him to bless others first, rather than yourself. Psalm 37:4 says “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” If He is your desire and your delight, it will delight His heart to grant your desires.
4. You’re all about you.
I recently received an email from a man demanding to know why God wasn’t blessing him. He recounted one unfortunate situation after another and, in a tone of bitterness, expressed his utter disappointment in God. His email was littered with references to “I,” “me” and “my.” He never asked what he could do to please God, only complained at how God hadn’t pleased him. He didn’t talk about his obedience or any desire he had to be a child whose Father would be pleased to bless him. In fact, he never even referred to a Father-child relationship with God.
God is not a glorified Santa Claus. Nor is He obligated to bless any of us. If you’re all about you, and what God is or isn’t giving you, God might be choosing not to bless your life until you become all about Him(Luke 9:23). When you die to self (Galatians 2:20), your focus won’t be on whether or not you’re being blessed, but on how to be a blessing to God.
5. God’s timing is different than yours.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 assures us: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” I believe that includes a season for blessings. God may want you to wait and grow in dependence on Him before He gives you something.
Scripture also tells us that God’s ways are perfect and His Word is flawless (Psalm 18:30). That means He knows when it’s the right time for us to receive certain blessings and when it’s not.
Have I hit on why God might not be blessing your life yet? If not, watch for next week’s blog in which I will give “5 More Reasons God Might Not Be Blessing Your Life.” In the meantime, which of these reasons gives you the most comfort or insight right now? I’d love for you to share it with me and my readers in the comment section below.
Number 5 resonates with me. I’m so impatient because I feel my time on earth is short and I’ve realized so few of my dreams. Knowing that he isn’t saying “No” but just “Not until you’re ready” gives me hope.
Thanks for your thoughts on that, Lisala. I, too, have been encouraged many times as I realized, in retrospect, that God’s “no” was really “Not yet, I have something far better than you have even thought to ask for.” That’s the kind of wonderful “exceeding our expectations” God that He is. 🙂
Cindi, thank you so much for your recent blog “Five Reasons God Might Not Be Blessing You”. While reading it, I realized that I have let the stress and rush of life consume me lately and have neglected to be grateful and spend more time with God. Thank you for bringing this to my attention with your kind, helpful words. You are truly appreciated and I’m grateful to have you.
Thank you, Marilyn for those sweet words. I’m grateful to have YOU as a reader! 🙂
Thank you I needed to read that this week myself. It made me really think I need to set more time aside for God. To appreciate everything that he has given me.
Thank you, Joanna, for your sweet spirit in wanting to be a grateful woman, rather than one who looks to God for what He can give us. I am encouraged by your words.
Hello Cindi – new reader here. I found your article on ibelieve.com on ”how to know if an open door is from God”. It was such an interesting and an eye opening article that resonated with me and out of curiosity, I had to check you out and i am so glad that i did.
Thank you for this blog post. to be honest, I have not been practicing a lot of numbers 1 and 2 but just recently, I have started doing that. I keep saying ‘bless me Lord’ instead of specifically asking him for a promotion at work. I am also applying the same principle in another request which i specifically mention by name each time i present it before God. I am also improving in number 2 because obviously, no body can do it for me except God therefore i strongly believe that He will do it for me.
I have some questions on the article i mention above which i read on ibelieve.com. Please let me know if i can contact you privately for that.
Thank you again and Remain blessed
Hi. I’m glad you found me online through that article which has probably been my most widely-read article of all time. A lot of people have questions when it comes to God’s direction and leading in their lives. You can contact me at Cindi@Strengthforthesoul.com. I really try to get back to EVERYONE who contacts me with questions and comments. Looking forward to hearing from you.
My husband always wants. He was a very hard worker. he does help others generally asking that they pay him back, if its monitary, in a reasonable payment plan. His main fault is not trusting God. He lost a 1 yr old to spinal bifida. He doesnt talk about it much but it hurt him badly n just cant keep the faith. So most of his desires are about himself. He believes but doesnt practice. Prayers that God shows him that He is there for him. He does know he is blessed in many ways n he doesnt take advantage of others.
Thanks for your concern for your husband. Hurts in our lives can sometimes keep us from God, which is why I wrote my book, When a Woman Overcomes Life’s Hurts. While it was written specifically for women, since that is my audience, the “10 Steps to Healing and Wholeness” apply to men, as well. There might be something in that book that can help you encourage your husband as he deals with His pain and eventually (prayerfully) opens his heart back up to the God who loves him.
But what about asking for the basics, just a full time job that’s fulfilling and moderately well paying, sincere friends and a real marriage? What happens when you spend years working below average income levels and never have any of that other stuff for sustained periods of time? I can pray and request all day, nothing changes. What exactly is my life supposed to be sacrificed for? Spreading a gospel no one wants to hear anyway?
Josh, your comment mentions only what you’re not getting from God. You didn’t mention what you’re giving Him. Your heart, perhaps? Your praise for the very air you breathe? Your basic appreciation for the cross? Or are you only giving Him a bitter heart at having to “sacrifice” something for “a gospel no one wants to hear anyway”? I believe once you understand what God sacrificed for YOU and what that gospel you think no one wants to hear really means, you will not be complaining that you don’t have “any of that other stuff.” I encourage you to get into God’s Word and see who Jesus is and what He’s done for you. That should help you understand you exist for Him…not the other way around.
This is such an old post, but I am going to leave this anyways. I think a big stumbling block is that we tend to fall into the worldly idea of what a ‘blessing’ is. If a Christian family has good health, good finances, God-following children, etc…does this make them blessed? Are they somehow more faithful and therefore more likely to receive from God? Now if the same family suffers with cancer, is struggling financially and has a child leave the faith are they no longer blessed? Are they asking for ‘blessings’ in the ‘wrong’ way? (Brings to mind the book of Job!). If we look at 2 Corinthians 11:22-31, would we call Paul ‘blessed’ by this description? I would caution believers to be careful of how they define ‘blessings’. Biblical blessings are not material blessings, they surpass our circumstances. As believers we are all blessed to have received the grace of God, the gift of salvation, the blessing of relationship with Him. We are blessed in our struggles – even more so – if those struggles bring us closer to Christ.
The above comment from J (Josh?) – oh how my heart aches for you! The fact that you pray, the fact that you are reading this blog post at all, speaks volumes. YOU are crying out for the gospel. Having a job, a spouse, a group of friends – those things are not a ticket to happiness. They are circumstances. And they are perishable. True blessing is trusting God and obeying His Word. God is good, even when our circumstances suck. You are blessed, even when your circumstances suck. The Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) – may your heart be filled with Truth and may you know how much God loves you (even if your circumstances suck!) Ephesians 1:3-14 – may you be blessed with every spiritual blessing and lavished in His grace!
Thank you, Kris, for your wise, biblically accurate, and compassionate words. 🙂