What Should We Do With Our Blessings?

   James tells us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights,” (Jas. 1:17).  We’re told further, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from Heaven” (Jn. 3:27).  The apostle Paul asked the rhetorical question, “…what do you have that you did not receive?  Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Cor. 4:7).  All blessings come from God.

   Not only is God the giver of all blessings, but He wants to bless us.  James exhorts, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (Jas. 1:5).  Jesus encouraged those whom He taught in the sermon of the mount, “Ask, and it will be give to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7).  James points out that, often, the reason we do not have what we need is because we do not ask God for it: “…you do not have because you do not ask” (Jas. 4:2).  At one point God challenged Israel, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open for you the windows of Heaven and pour out for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it” (Mal. 3:10).
   Since all blessings come from God, what should be our response to God for bestowing those blessings upon us?  We should demonstrate our appreciation to Him by using His blessings in ways that will bring Him glory (1 Cor. 10:31).  One reason that God bestows blessings is to benefit us, in our needs and otherwise.  Realizing that, an obvious way that we can bring glory to God is to properly use His blessings in ways that will benefit us.
   We should also use the blessings that God bestows upon us to serve Him.  God blesses us with talents, abilities, capabilities and opportunities that can and should be used in His service.  Various works can be done, benevolence can be carried forth, people can be taught the gospel, all as a result of blessings that God has bestowed upon us that enable us to be able to respond in those ways.
   Something God has always required in response to the material blessings that He bestows is that man will worship Him through those blessings.  Tithing and giving of the first fruits under Old Testament law were specific acts of worship through the blessings that God had first bestowed upon the Israelites.  The same principle applies to Christians today (1 Cor. 16:1-2).  We’re encouraged by the assurance that God will continue to bless us in response to our giving back to Him from those blessings that He has already given to us (Lk. 6:38; 2 Cor. 9:6-8).  Of course, this is another way that we can glorify God through the proper use of His blessings.
   One way to glorify God in response to being blessed by Him is to openly express our thanks to Him for His blessings (1 Thess. 5:17-18).  We need God’s blessings, but we need to remember to thank Him as He blesses us.  And we need to use His blessings to serve Him and bring Him glory.  In doing so we outwardly demonstrate our thanks to Him.  What are you doing with the blessings that God bestows upon you?