MY CHRISTIAN SISTERS GOOD STEWARD

ARE YOU BEING A OF YOUR BLESSINGS?

A few months ago, I was straightening up my work area at home and a specific thought came to me about being better stewards of the blessings we have received from God.

To clarify specifically the blessings that we have received in the current seasons that we are in but we are unable to see because we are so focused on our next seasons or better yet the “blessings of next season”.

The truth is we tend to spend so much time caught up on our future and the goals we are working towards that we end up overlooking or missing out on the things that we already have, the things that we’ve already been blessed with.

One of the things that the ‘culture of the world” focuses a lot on is the aspect of always moving to the next thing or alwaysmoving towards the next goal.

And while there is nothing completely wrong with this.

This point of view is not necessarily one to live by as the Christian journey should not only be about jumping from one achievement to the next thing, “the better thing”, but instead it should be focused on being intentional in how we live and stewarding the blessings that we’ve received from God in whatever season we may be in.

Take for example you just bought your first car, but it wasn’t your dream car so instead of seeing it as the blessing that it is, you complain about it not being big enough or fast enough and constantly speak about the “future car” that you will own.

You also do little to take care of the current car and the reason for this is once you get the new car you will treat it better.

However, if you paused for a moment and really think, you would realize that you are the first in your family to purchase and own a car.

You would also realize that though you weren’t able to purchase your dream car, the fact that you were able to purchase a car in itself is a blessing and lastly, from a more technical standpoint, you would realize that the purchase of that car has provided you with the opportunity to get you from Point A to Point B and vice versa, hassle-free.

Now let’s look at another scenario, so you haven’t bought your first house as yet and you are currently living in a rented home.

Even though the property is not yours the expectation is that you are to treat it as such.

If you were to think about it, do you take care of your home as you should? Or are you waiting until you are able to purchase your own home and then you will take care of it? If you are thinking of the latter then continue reading to help realign those thoughts.

It’s important to note that whatever God blesses us with belongs to Him and there is literally nothing that we do or could do to deserve it.

The key thing to take from this is that our blessings are from and of God and not recognizing this fact can lead to us overlooking and mistreating the blessings we’ve received from God. A question that we should always keep at the forefront of our mind is, “Would God be pleased?”.

Now, let’s look at the meaning of the word steward, “A steward is said to be someone who manages or looks after someone’s property or financial affairs.” This perfectly captures the point made earlier, when God created us, one of our primary purposesor responsibility is to be stewards of everything concerning Him. Genesis 2:15 (NIV), “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

So, how can we be better stewards of the blessings that God has bestowed upon us:

1. Stop Complaining

When we complain it is almost like we are telling God that what he has blessed us with is either not good or not good enough for us.

Especially when we’ve been praying for that specific blessing, you can reread the Bible story of the Israelites and their journey out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.

It is important to note that transitioning from one season to another won’t necessarily happen overnight, it can but that is not always the case. But we ought to trust God regardless of how long it may take to move from one season to the next.

Prayer is necessary for all seasons and whenever we feel like complaining I encourage you to choose prayer instead. As prayer fosters change and is a direct line of communication with God. Colossians 4:2 (NIV),” Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”

2. Stop Comparing

I’m sure we’ve all heard that “comparison is the thief of all joy”.

And if we were to analyze the scripture we would recognize that the scripture speaks to a singular person and not a collective group of people.

So, God knows the plan He has for you. You see sometimes we push and try to jump to the next goal or the next season because of what is happening in the lives of others and so we don’t allow God to take us through that season in the time that He sees fit.

3. Give Thanks for Every Blessing

It’s easy to take for granted the “little blessings” and only recognize the “big blessings”.

However, it’s important to note that a blessing is simply just a blessing. When we assign the description “little” or “small” it causes us to see it as just that, little or small or insignificant. But the truth is God knows exactly what we need and when we need it.

So, when we change our perspective or point of view on that we are then able to show gratitude and give thanks for everything that God blesses us with.

Whether it be rain on a hot day, a smile, a word of encouragement/prayer, money from a friend to buy lunch, a car, a home, a spouse, child/children, a promotion, acceptance into a school or faculty of choice, spiritual breakthroughs, or financial breakthroughs, good health. You get the gist.

When we compare it causes us to be completely out of alignment with God’s words. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV), specifically states, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

The key to this is practicing giving thanks to God for every blessing and it is as easy as “Lord, I thank you for waking me up this morning”. 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV), “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

4. Recognizing That all Things (Blessings) are from God

In recent times there has been a lot of focus on “I did this” or “I deserve this” but the reality is there is nothing that we achieve in and of ourselves but through Christ and His power that worketh in us we are able to do or achieve things according to His plans for our lives.

We are nothing without Christ, and there is nothing that we do or can do to deserve God’s blessings. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23), but only through grace, God’s grace have we been made free.

When we recognize this, we also recognize why it is important to be better stewards of the blessings from God. The blessings, we receive belong completely to God and we should treat them as such. Psalm 24:1 (KJV), “The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein”.

It is important to note that blessings aren’t only limited to material blessings but look at your child/children, your spouse, your marriage, your ministry, and your time. Food for thought, are you being good stewards of the blessings you have been entrusted with?

5. Be Faithful with the “Little Things”

We can look back at the scenarios from earlier with the car and house, and yes it may not be the dream car or your own home but does that mean that you shouldn’t take care of it or make it feel like a home? Think about it. What is the guarantee that you will be able to take care of the dream car or house when the season changes?

Be faithful with the “little things” the things that we may consider insignificant but they may be the things that are delaying your transition into the next season. Luke 16:10 (NIV), “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”

You can read the Parable of the talents for some more insight (Matthew 25:14-30).

6. Utilize our Blessings to Help Others

Last but definitely not least, we should utilize our blessings to help others.

A lot of times God blesses us so that we too can bless someone else. So, while the blessing may have been bestowed upon us, specifically related to finances, sharing opportunities, talents or skills that we may have, knowledge, etc. we should not only focus on ourselves but we should think of ways we can use these blessings to help or serve others.

As Christians, we are called to love and be kind to one another (1 Corinthians 13:4-5). We should also bear each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).

A lot of times we only focus on doing the “big things” when it comes to blessing others but there should literally be no limits.

Blessing someone can look different based on the blessing that they need in that appointed time.

It’s always important to note that there are many ways to help/bless others and we should do this with a willing heart. When we remember that everything is from God and we are His stewards then this comes easy. And even as God has blessed us before He is more than able to bless us again.

Even as I am writing I’ve realized that I too have been guilty of not stewarding the blessings of God but through practice and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I will become a better steward. I also hope that as you read this article change will be incited and you too will become better stewards of God’s blessings.

On a separate note while you’re going through your different seasons allow God to move you. It doesn’t have to be a race to achieve everything, as God already has the blueprint for our lives and if we realize that our reasoning for these achievements is primarily worldly, it may be time to set back and reevaluate ourselves and shift our perspective so that we can be in alignment with what God wants for us.

As it’s only when we see ourselves as stewards of God’s blessings then we will find and be contented in our lives and the season we are in. God’s blessings are good and should not be taken lightly, they also should not be seen as voids fillers until the next blessing.

Lastly, I do hope the rest of the year will bring you peace, joy, good health, and lots of blessings. I also pray that you will experience with God on a next level.

Many blessings, My Christian Sisters

Wendean James is a Christian Creative as well as a Partnership and Marketing Officer and is truly passionate about uplifting and encouraging fellow Christian women.