Turning back to God and repenting of the sin in our lives is a blessing in and of itself. To know that we can turn back to God and He will receive us is the greatest blessing of all.
There are many reasons why you might not be receiving God’s blessings. In the modern day, we are incorrectly taught and tend to believe that God is supposed to give us whatever we want. This isn’t true because God never promises us that He will give us whatever we want. He will answer our prayers in one of three ways—yes, no, or wait. We have to be in communication with God to see His answer and hear what He is trying to say to us.
If you are struggling with why you aren’t receiving God’s blessings, here are four reasons:
1. You Aren’t Praying
One reason why you aren’t receiving God’s blessings is because you aren’t praying. To receive God’s blessings, you have to ask for them in prayer. Jesus tells us, “And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13). As the Lord tells us, we have to ask in order for the Father to be glorified in the Son. It needs to be noted that when we ask, we shouldn’t expect what we asked for to be answered if it is frivolous things, such as designer clothes, a sports car, or a mansion. Instead, we should be praying for things that align with God’s will.
A few of these things could be praying for opportunities to share the gospel or praying for the Lord to help us grow in our relationship with Him. God has unlimited blessings for us, but they might not be the same blessings we envision for our lives. The blessings God gives us are the blessings we truly need. If we look around us, we can quickly see all of the blessings God has given us in unexpected ways. A few of these unexpected blessings could be the driver who allowed you to merge on the highway, the extra money you found to pay rent this month, or maybe the kind smile from a loved one.
When we are more aware of the blessings in our life that God has given us, the more we will be able to pray for the blessings that align with God’s will. Pray for things that you know God approves and desires for His children. He loves you, and He only wants good things for you. Maybe you are praying for a certain blessing, and you have been praying for years; however, your prayer still hasn’t been answered with a yes. Don’t be discouraged, but rather, continue to pray and see if what you are praying for aligns with Scripture. If it does, give it time to be answered because God might be answering “not right now” to your request. Remember to pray for the blessings you desire or need because prayer shows our dependence on God.
2. You Aren’t Listening to Him in His Word
A second reason why you aren’t receiving God’s blessings is because you aren’t listening to Him in His Word. His Word is the Bible, and it contains everything we need to live in order to please God. If we are not reading our Bible and don’t see the importance of it, we are already missing out on countless blessings. We are blessed by God every time we read the Bible. Contained within the Bible is salvation, God, and everything we need to know to live godly lives for Him. Each time we pick up the Bible and read it, we are blessed by God.
If you aren’t consistent in reading the Bible, there’s little chance that you are hearing from Him. While God can speak to us through sermons and other trusted believers, the main way He communicates with us is through the Bible. We can listen to what He is saying to us when we read His Word. Every word written in the Bible is divinely inspired by God (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Therefore, you can trust every word that is written in it. You will receive many great blessings of knowledge and assurance as you read the Bible.
3. You Are Living in Sin
A third reason you aren’t receiving God’s blessings is because you are living in sin. When we are actively living in sin, we are being disobedient to God. How can we expect God to give us blessings if we are actively rebelling against Him? It is only through turning our back on sin and turning toward God that we will begin to see a change. Even if you are living in sin, God still loves you, but He wants you to turn away from sin. Every person struggles with different sins, yet God can help us in our struggle against sin. All we have to do is turn to Him and ask Him in prayer.
Actively living in sin won’t bring blessings, but it will bring discipline. God will do anything to bring us back to the right path. If we are constantly lying, stealing, or hating others, God will discipline us and help us to see the error of our ways. Even despite discipline and strong feelings of guilt, many will continue to live in active sin and turn cold to the Holy Spirit. This is something that we must never do as it can affect us in a terrible way. Instead of ignoring the Holy Spirit, we need to listen to His conviction and turn away from the sin that is separating us from God.
Turning back to God and repenting of the sin in our lives is a blessing in and of itself. To know that we can turn back to God and He will receive us is the greatest blessing of all. He doesn’t hold resentment against us, nor is He endlessly angry at us. Instead, He opens His arms to us and welcomes us home. Through God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness, we are all given many opportunities to turn back to Him. The greatest blessing is to know God and follow Him faithfully, which cannot be done if we are living in sin.
4. You Are Asking with the Wrong Motives
A fourth reason you aren’t receiving God’s blessings is because you’re asking with the wrong motives. Similar to the first point, we should not ask for blessings out of selfish reasons, such as asking for expensive items, luxury houses, or great riches. None of these things will help us grow in our relationship with Christ. We need to be asking for things that will help advance God’s kingdom, help others to know Him, and help us grow in our own relationship with Him. When we look at blessings in this light, it can give us a different perspective on what we should ask for.
James, the half-brother of the Lord, tells us, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3). As James tells us in this verse, we will not receive blessings if we are asking with wrong motives. If we reflect on what we are asking for, we are bound to see that the majority of things we are asking for come from the wrong motive. If this is true for you, you can change and start asking with the right motive as well as asking for things that are in agreement with the Bible. When we ask for things that adhere to the Bible, we will receive the blessings God has for us.
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