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Encourage Someone Else By Sharing!

I have a bit of a confession. When my husband and I first met, I got nervous when it was time to receive gifts. I was not sure that he knew me well enough to buy gifts I would genuinely enjoy. 

Of course, I was always grateful for the gestures, but as the years have passed, I can breathe easily and confidently, knowing I will enjoy the gifts I receive from him. 

I know that I can’t be the only person. Have you ever experienced this? 

You see a beautiful box with a bow, and you cannot wait to open it up. When you open it up to your surprise, the gift is not nearly as shiny or as beautiful as the box. 

You thought you would love the gift, but perhaps it would be best to return it to the sender.   Quite possibly, you have not experienced this tangibly, but how many times do we do this to God when He answers our prayers?

Here are three keys to help you to be more accepting of God’s gifts and blessings. 

Release Expectations

Internally, we build a grand expectation of how our answered prayer should be presented to us. Often, these are the wrong expectations. When these prayers do not come in the package that we expect it to, we end up rejecting God’s blessings. 

I’m guilty. I’ve done this to God more than once. When I completed college, I expected that my next step should be to jump straight into the arena of business. I mean, duh Jesus, I graduated with a degree in business

Then God had another plan and told me to write a book. You can check it out here. Before this, I never truly saw myself in this realm of writing books or blogs. 

On the other hand, I kept praying that God would show me His purpose and Will for my life. Can I tell you those prayers led to my unexpected answer?

When God answered my prayer and presented it in a package that was not to my liking, I had a choice on rejecting God’s blessings or accepting it. 

Rather than argue with God, I understood that God’s gifts are perfect.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

– James 1:17

Trust God Knows Us Perfectly 

The reason my husband’s gifts got better over time is that he got to know me better. In that, he grew to understand what I would like and what I would dislike. 

In this same way, God’s gifts to us are perfect because He knows each and every one of us entirely.

Not only does God know you now, but God knows who you will become in the next five years, ten years, or even twenty years. 

When God decides to bless you, it’s not only to benefit you now, but to benefit you in the future.

His gifts and blessings are meant to compliment His calling on your life.

Sorry to say, that was not the only time I almost gave up a gift that God gave me. More recently, God blessed my family with a beautiful home. 

When the opportunity came for the home, instantly, I said I don’t think now is the time to get a home. It’s not that I did not want a house. It was just that I did not believe my husband and I would be able to afford and manage this size home.

 Plainly put, I was afraid.  

I prayed to God for a home with a specific amount of bedrooms,  bathrooms, and style. God answered with a larger home with the same amount of bedrooms, bathrooms, and a bonus income property attached.  

Even in all of this, fear caused me to lean towards rejecting God’s blessings.  In my comprehension, the packaging seemed too big for me. I’m incredibly grateful God changed my mind.

Do Not Box God In 

Why am I sharing all of this with you? I don’t want you to miss out on the beautiful blessings and gifts that God has planned for you. 

Do not put God in a box. God’s blessings do not always come in human size comprehension.

God may send you the ideal spouse in a package that you did not “prefer”, but that spouse is God’s way of blessing you for now and later. 

Our Father may gift you with the opportunity to relocate, but it is not in a country that you want to live. 

God may give you a job that is not easy, but that gift is meant to prepare you for your own business one day.

Whatever the blessings and opportunities that God is sending your way, I encourage you to embrace the gifts of God even when it does not look the part. Keep an open mind by removing God out of your mind’s limitations.

Be sensitive to God, trust the path He is leading you on, and don’t be so quick on rejecting God’s blessings.  Who knows? 

That one blessing may change your entire life.

Until Next Time

As always,

Be Strong, Be Courageous, Serve God Wholeheartedly

Gilberta Thompson