"God has blessed me"

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Norefund

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I have often heard this phrase used when people describe their successes. While I recognize that God has a hand in all that happens in our lives, it sometimes seems like the intent of the phrase is to express:  not only am I more successful than you but God loves me more. Am I the only one who finds this phrase a little off-putting at times? If you were going through a troublesome period, would it be acceptable to say "God is cursing me" or something to that effect?

I have also heard this phrase used to describe the success of ministries (Look at how much our church has grown! God has blessed us!) but no attribution to God occurs when things go poorly (Our Pastor committed a great sin and our ministry's reputation has really suffered - God is judging us!).

I find it out that some use God's blessing pretty selectively. I never really know where God's blessing ends and my own efforts begin.

 
IMO, troublesome periods in life are not "God cursing" us....life happens. 

In your example, if a pastor commits a great sin, and the ministry's reputation suffers, it's not God causing that.  It's fallout from the pastor's sin.  Choices made have consequences, good or bad....and many times an individual's choices have great affect on other's lives.  BUT, it's not a curse from God. 

God still blesses me even during the darkest times of my life.  With food, water, a roof over my head, and clothes on my back. 
 
I would not say that phrase.......as if to mean I'm better than anyone...I believe we are on a journey and we all will walk down different paths of so called success. Success doesn't always mean a moneary sum....where I live if you aren't driving a new car, or carrying a 300.00 + purse you must not be successful. I forgot living in a new house ..........I've lived here 30 years..........I don't live in a new house....I like the old houses with character. My car is not new, my purse is several years old. I am an expert on name brand purses but I would not own one in my financial situation.........shop smart!!
God doesn't curse anyone He loves each of us...As I read this I hope I don't sound like Joel Oleen... 8)
 
When and If I say the phrase, "God has blessed me" I am just verbally giving God praise for what he is doing with my life. Not trying to be better than someone else, just praising God.
 
When I hear someone reference God blessing them I simply assume they are acknowledging the goodness of God in their lives.  I simply rejoice with them.
 
I say it only in truth to show how a loving God has blessed me beyond reason.  I want people to know where I have come from and where my future lies and why and who has had a hand in it. All that has happened to me is not because of me. I look at myself and I see one of the dumbest sheep. It make His grace more meaningful to me.
 
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.  We ought to publicly praise God for His blessings in our life.  This is a good thing.  When people talk about being blessed I am happy for them to realize whatever they are happy about came from God.

However, Romans 8:28-29 ring true.  I recall that this passage became the life verse of Lee Roberson after his daughter died.  What the OP is referencing is the boasting spirit of the Pharisee and the ignorance of the performance based Christianity that believes higher numbers and more money is God's blessing.  Lee Roberson proclaimed "God is blessing me" when his daughter died.  I think Dr. Roberson had a better understanding of Christianity than most Christians today who only believe God is blessing them when things go as they would desire.
 
Thank you.


Binaca Chugger said:
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.  We ought to publicly praise God for His blessings in our life.  This is a good thing.  When people talk about being blessed I am happy for them to realize whatever they are happy about came from God.

However, Romans 8:28-29 ring true.  I recall that this passage became the life verse of Lee Roberson after his daughter died.  What the OP is referencing is the boasting spirit of the Pharisee and the ignorance of the performance based Christianity that believes higher numbers and more money is God's blessing.  Lee Roberson proclaimed "God is blessing me" when his daughter died.  I think Dr. Roberson had a better understanding of Christianity than most Christians today who only believe God is blessing them when things go as they would desire.
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Norefund said:
I have often heard this phrase used when people describe their successes. While I recognize that God has a hand in all that happens in our lives, it sometimes seems like the intent of the phrase is to express:  not only am I more successful than you but God loves me more. Am I the only one who finds this phrase a little off-putting at times? If you were going through a troublesome period, would it be acceptable to say "God is cursing me" or something to that effect?

I have also heard this phrase used to describe the success of ministries (Look at how much our church has grown! God has blessed us!) but no attribution to God occurs when things go poorly (Our Pastor committed a great sin and our ministry's reputation has really suffered - God is judging us!).

I find it out that some use God's blessing pretty selectively. I never really know where God's blessing ends and my own efforts begin.
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I know what you mean.

Consider, though, that every state we may find ourselves in, is a tool God uses to make us more like Christ; both poverty and riches, both happy and sad events, success and failure are all courses in the Christ-likeness School that we enrolled in when we accepted Christ.

Up to each of us to pass the class that we are in at the moment...no matter who is bragging that they are in the "being blessed" class now.
 
I have a sermon called 'mo blessed', addressing this.  It answers the' I'm blessed because I have recieved'  with 'Give it all, and be mo blessed' 
' I'm blessed' was popular to put on your vanity plate, on your new Caddy or Lexus, at the time.  I would list 'poor' people, like missionaries, driving a modest car, who could put 'more blessed' on their plate, because they had given it all, and it is more blessed to give than to receive. It is an encouraging message  to those who ,like Peter, have left all, to follow Christ.  It doesnt attack the 'I'm blessed' for being grateful, just adds to it those who don't look 'blessed' by certain standards.

Anishinabe

 
The problem is that we tend to define "blessings" based solely on human reasoning. God's idea of a blessing in our life may be very different from what we consider it. If the best thing that God can give us is Himself, then anything that draws us closer to Him is the greatest blessing we can experience.
 
[quote author=samspade]If the best thing that God can give us is Himself, then anything that draws us closer to Him is the greatest blessing we can experience.[/quote]

John Piper? Is this really you?  :P
 
rsc2a said:
[quote author=samspade]If the best thing that God can give us is Himself, then anything that draws us closer to Him is the greatest blessing we can experience.
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John Piper? Is this really you?  :P
[/quote]

Larry Crabb actually (The Pressure's Off).

I've never read any Piper (or heard him preach).
 
The pastor of the church I attended this past week taught on faith and made a contrast. Sometimes the blessings of God are NOT now and possibly not to be enjoyed on earth:

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
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Smellin Coffee said:
The pastor of the church I attended this past week taught on faith and made a contrast. Sometimes the blessings of God are NOT now and possibly not to be enjoyed on earth:

Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. 36 Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—38 of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.
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Oh wow. That sounds just like something I heard Erwin Lutzer say.

It seems to me that many times because we live in America, that blessings are practically on our front doorstep and when something good happens there is a tendency to think that I am blessed because I have been good and God has found favor in my. And this may be true.

On the other hand, as we sit typing on our computers there are christians all over the world who are imprisoned, can't get a job, families suffering, etc. just because they have embraced christianity and refuse to deny it. I recently read a magazine entitled the persecuted church or something similar who told story after story of christians in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Nigeria, etc. who are so persecuted by Muslims that they must flee their homes. Kind of eye-opening as to some of the preconceived notions about blessing and cursing.  FWIW
 
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