Not Lucky, Just Blessed {Lois Ormsby}

Acts 20:35 – “I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

The whole concept of luck feeds a humanistic mindset.  What is humanism?  Very simply, humanism is the belief that we are self-sufficient without God.  Humanism is also all about lifting some people higher than others.  Luck feeds the mindset that some of us are just more worthy than others.

This is not true. Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray…”

Horoscopes, astrology, gambling, fate, “the universe”…all of these take away from the existence of divine God.  Luck eliminates God out of the picture.  These things are one example of why we need to be careful of how the world influences us. Luck is one of those things that is such an accepted part of our culture and of our vernacular, that even Christians throw the concept of luck around like it is no big deal.

Luck is about how we are benefited, for our own personal gain.  Blessed is a word that keeps our gain in perspective – we are blessed to bless others.  Being lucky cultivates a posture of pride; being blessed cultivates a posture of praise.  Instead of “look what I got” with luck, we desire “look at my God” with blessings.

We may be tempted to give in to those thoughts of – “well, I’m just not as lucky as they are.  I don’t have the blessings they do, so I can’t really do much for others.”  When our lifestyle is in the proper mindset, however, it is interesting how God decides to bless us: Luke 6:38 – “Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”  God gives us a one-word command here, and then in a very descriptive manner explains how He will take care of us through other people!  People who embrace that they are blessed have no trouble believing that it is more blessed to give than to receive.  People who know they are blessed love to give to others, because they know that God has their back!

When we feel that we aren’t blessed, perhaps we should look at:

• how we are living our life – Micah 6:8 – “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?”
• how we are viewing our life – James 4:14-15 – “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.”
• how we are stewarding our life – Psalm 90:12 – “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”

Some major influences on our thinking of whether we are lucky or blessed:

• our music “poor you”, “you don’t deserve this”, “it wasn’t meant to be this way”
• our entertainment “thank your lucky stars”, “one of the lucky ones”
• our friends “you deserve this”, “you totally need that”

If you prefer luck – “playing with fate” – over blessings, it is time to examine your heart! James 4:3, 4 – “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”  Remembering that we are blessed, rather than lucky, keeps us dependent upon God and His way of doing things.

God is not out to ruin your life or to make you miserable.  Proverbs 10:22 – “The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it.”  God desires to give good things to His children.  His promises are abundant and available for us to claim.  When we spend our lives doing for others instead of making sure we are taken care of, He has a way of keeping our needs met above and beyond what we could imagine.

What does the song say? Let it help you remember that you are incredibly blessed!

“Count Your Blessings”

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?

Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly

And you will be singing as the days go by

Count your blessings, name them one by one

Count your blessings, see what God has done

Count your blessings, name them one by one

Count your many blessings, see what God has done