We sat together in a hotel cafe and chatted about life, faith, and family. A server came by and filled our water glasses. I smiled at our server and said, “Thank you. God bless you.” My friend tilted her head, looked at me and asked, “Why do you always say that to people? Is there something behind it?”
I loved her question.
And actually, yes there’s something behind it for me. I once had a vivid dream (which was a big deal for someone who rarely slept soundly through the night). In it, I saw dark clouds hovering overhead. Dark purple and smoky gray, they flickered with light. It was clear to me in the dream that these clouds represented the accessible power of God.
People walked to and fro and didn’t even notice the power source just within their reach. Occasionally someone would stop, reach up and grab a handful of the “power” and put it on their heart. Then they’d go about their business. But one woman reached up constantly and put the power on her heart, on her children’s heads, and even on the strangers who raced right by her.
I woke up from that dream just awestruck when the Lord whispered to my heart, “Susie, most of My children only scratch the surface of what I’ve made available to them.” That moment changed my prayer life. I believe there are storehouses in the heavenlies that remain untapped because we don’t pray. I believe with all of my heart that when I say, God bless you to someone, that I’m reaching up and pulling down a blessing for them.
Recently on Middays with Susie Larson, I spoke with NYT bestselling author and pastor, Mark Batterson. We talked about his book, “Double Blessing: How to Get It. How to Give It.” Mark writes this:
God is in the blessing business! And because you are His child, blessing is your birthright. The problem is that blessings aren’t always easy to quantify or qualify. Some are as simple and straightforward as a sunrise. Others are more difficult to discern such as the blessings of brokenness. The question is, do you believe it? Because you’ve got to position yourself to receive it.
Mark went on to share how he and his wife have learned to flip the blessing. Whenever they received a blessing of any kind, they turn around and bless someone else in the very same way. Mark shared how this practice has made him acutely aware of how blessed he really is, and how God continually blesses him. We miss so much of the goodness of God when we’re not looking for it.
And as you can imagine, every time Mark turned around to bless someone else, another blessing came back to him. He’s not talking about giving to get, but rather, learning to abandon the scarcity mindset so you can actually be a flow-through account of God’s blessings for a hurting world.
He writes:
The blessing of God is the solution to your biggest problem, the answer to your boldest prayer, and the fulfillment of your bravest dream.
I challenge you to start looking for and acknowledging every blessing that comes your way. Look up and look for someone who needs the kind of blessing you’ve just received. See if God doesn’t turn your world upside down. We can never out-give or out-bless God. But He invites us to try.
I pray God blesses you above and beyond your wildest dreams. I pray He blesses through you in ways you never dreamed possible. And I pray that when others encounter you, they dare to trust Jesus for themselves because of your faithful, generous life. God bless you.
The same One who has put seed into the hands of the sower and brought bread to fill our stomachs will provide and multiply the resources you invest and produce an abundant harvest from your righteous actions. You will be made rich in everything so that your generosity will spill over in every direction. Through us your generosity is at work inspiring praise and thanksgiving to God.