Guilty of Being Blessed

I'm guilty.

yes you heard me, I'm guilty...

guilty of being blessed that is.

Those of you out there who are also guilty know exactly what I am talking about, for the rest let me explain.

When my wife and I bought our first home we were extremely excited, almost too excited. We wanted to show everyone all the work we had done on our little fixer upper. I would beam when explaining how I had hung the cabinets myself and installed the dishwasher without getting electrocuted. I was working a very nice paying job that afforded us the luxury of owning a home. We were in a word, "blessed."

We were in a word, "blessed."

So why did I feel awkward talking about our new home in front of people that I knew were barely putting bread on the table? I wasn't bragging about how much money I made, on the contrary my wife and I fully acknowledge the fact that we had been blessed with just the right circumstances to buy a home. We gave all the credit to God, so why did I feel guilty for being successful, or in other words guilty for being blessed?

I really think it stemmed from us being young in the Lord. We had been convinced that if a Christian was successful then they needed to act like they weren't so people wouldn't think they were prideful. Wow, just thinking about that gives me a headache, no wonder so many Christians fall away from the faith. They are so tied up in knots that they can't figure out how they are supposed to have the "Joy of the Lord"

They are so tied up in knots that they can't figure out how they are supposed to have the "Joy of the Lord" 

I realize now that this is crazy, after all why shouldn't we boast about all the good things God has done for us. How else will others see how great he is if we keep trying to dowse the light of His glory in our lives. The flip side is to not try so hard to be "happy" when things aren't going well. I'm not talking about joy, we should always be joyful in spite of any difficulties we are going through. What we don't need, and what others don't need to see, is the plastered fake smiles that hide our true feelings.

Don't feel guilty about how much God has blessed you.

Life can be a roller coaster at times and if we let it can take us along for the ride and leave us bewildered and confused but if we approach everything with a heart full of joy and thanksgiving we can ride out life's ups and downs on an even keel. We should hold on to joy when times are tough but by the same token shouldn't stifle it when times are good or even great.

Don't feel guilty about how much God has blessed you. Embrace it, own it, and boast about it. Shout it from the roof tops just how great our God is and How much he has done for you and me.