Everyone loves getting blessings! It’s universal. We enjoy new things in abundance. The children of Israel were no different. They had all the blessings one could want, but their hearts turned from joy to ingratitude. Let’s dive into Deuteronomy 28:47-48 to see how blessings can turn into burdens when we forget to thank God.
The children of Israel were blessed abundantly. God provided them with everything they needed and more. But instead of being joyful and grateful, they became ungrateful and desired more. They forgot to thank God and forgot who sent them the blessings. Their hearts were no longer filled with joy and gladness. As a result, God allowed their blessings to become burdens.
Deuteronomy 28:47-48 says:“Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.”
God turned their blessings into burdens because they lost their joy and forgot to be thankful.
We’ve all seen a spoiled child. At first, they are happy with their toys and gifts, but soon they start taking them for granted. They demand more and more, never satisfied. Eventually, the parent has to take away some of their belongings to teach them gratitude. This is much like what God did with the children of Israel. He had to take away their abundance to remind them to be thankful and joyful for what they had.
The Parable of the Talents
In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the parable of the talents. A master gives his servants talents to manage while he is away. Two of the servants use their talents wisely and are rewarded. However, one servant hides his talent out of fear and laziness. When the master returns, he takes the talent away from the ungrateful servant and gives it to the one who used his wisely.
“For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.” Matthew 25:29
This parable teaches us that if we are not grateful and do not use our blessings wisely, they can be taken away and turned into burdens.
How can we avoid turning our blessings into burdens? Here are a few steps:
1. Cultivate Gratitude
Make it a habit to thank God daily for the blessings you have.
2. Serve with Joy:
Serve God and others with a joyful heart, remembering that everything we have comes from Him.
3. Use Your Blessings Wisely:
Just like in the parable of the talents, use what God has given you to bless others and glorify Him.
Blessings can quickly turn into burdens if we forget to be grateful and joyful. By looking at the story of the children of Israel and the parable of the talents, we see the importance of gratitude and joyful service. Let’s make sure we keep our hearts thankful and our minds focused on using our blessings to serve God and others.
Blessings can quickly turn into burdens if we forget to be grateful and joyful. By looking at the story of the children of Israel and the parable of the talents, we see the importance of gratitude and joyful service. Let’s make sure we keep our hearts thankful and our minds focused on using our blessings to serve God and others.
