God’s Blessing Knows No Bounds

God’s blessing is not limited by circumstances. Sometimes people think that to be happy, blessed, and prosperous, there should be an ideal situation for it. A full pocket that enables you to buy all your needs and wants. A huge and beautiful house. Your dream career where everyone respects you. A happy family. The dream vacation. The fulfillment of the deepest ambition. But what if circumstances conspired the opposite of your sought after dreams and desires? Is there still blessing? Can you still be happy? Can you still view yourself as blessed?

What is important to note in God’s blessing is that it is not limited to material things and wealth. It is beyond the material things which makes God’s blessing more valuable than any other blessings. It is beyond circumstances that it reflects God’s wisdom, grace, kindness, love, power, and sovereignty.

Psalm 1 describes the blessing or prosperity of a person who chooses God and who delights in following Him.

He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. Whatever he does shall prosper. – Psalm 1:3 (WEB)

God did not assure that there will be no storm, no drought, no heat, or no harm to come. He does not promise that everyday will be a good season. What God assures that when you delight in Him and obey Him, you are like a tree planted by the waters, that you do not wither and you always bear fruit. God’s blessing works like this whatever the circumstance may be.

God’s blessing is beyond the circumstances. Reading through Chapter 1 of the Book of Daniel, there is one thing that God impressed on me. Daniel, who was called Belteshazzar as his Chaldean name, was one of the exiles brought to Babylon together with his three other friends namely Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (Daniel 1:7). In other words, their situation was not an ideal one. They were forced out of their own nation and they were ruled by a foreign king. They were forced to live in a foreign country with a different culture and different ideals. Then, there was this matter of them being young. Add to these, he and his friends were chosen to serve the king. But even in this predicament, God had shown His Sovereignty to Daniel and his friends. And, one thing that starkly stands out from the passage is obedience before blessing. Daniel and his friends decided to honor God even in a foreign land and a foreign ruler. The result of this is that God blessed them. God prospered their ways. God gave them favor in the sight of men.

But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank. Therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. Now God made Daniel find kindness and compassion in the sight of the prince of the eunuchs. – Daniel 1:8-9 (WEB)

Now as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. – Daniel 1:17 (WEB)

In every matter of wisdom and understanding concerning which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters who were in all his realm. – Daniel 1:20 (WEB)

Difficult circumstances are not escapegoats for you to step out of God’s will or disobey what He commands you to do. Obedience to God does not depend on circumstances. So does God’s blessing. When God pours out His favor, it does not depend on the circumstances. He can bless you even in the difficult times. He can give you favor even in times of exile. He can do that. He is able because He is a sovereign God.

When you face difficulties and hardships or you feel like life sent you into an exile, choose to obey the Lord regardless the difficulty. The breakthrough may be like Daniel’s who was given a position in the king’s courts after three years, or it may be shorter than that, or even longer than that. But the result is always worth it. While waiting for God’s breakthrough, remember, His blessing is with you all the way. Just as God’s blessing was present with Daniel and his three friends since Day 1 of their exile.