Recently, there has been a trend in social media using #blessed to describe something good that has happened to you. I have seen tweets describing winning the lottery, losing weight, getting a new car, winning a football game, getting into college, and even getting gifts from friends. This was a topic I spoke on with my students this past weekend, but I think it’s part of a much larger issue that is hindering our view of God.

For a long time, we have confused blessings with success. And it is true that throughout Scripture, there are prosperous blessings given to individuals. Luckily for us, we have best selling books that teach us how to pray the prayers those individuals prayed so that we may receive the same blessings. Life is all about receiving financial, health, relational, or career blessings. And when those things happen, we are all of a sudden #blessed.

Our view of God changes based upon what kind of “blessings” we are receiving at the moment. If we are experiencing financial success, God is this benevolent God who freely gives. If we aren’t experiencing financial success, God is reminding us that our trust needs to be in Him alone. Or if we are healed of a health scare, God has blessed us with life. But if we are not healed of an ailment, then God must have thought that it was “our time to go.” When we get something, God is blessing us. When we apparently aren’t getting anything, God is teaching us something. Some will argue that through the lessons, we will be blessed. But this still seems a bit off.

I believe that we are blessed because of who God is…not because of what God gives.

From the nature of God, flows blessings. But it is an error to base the nature of God off the content of His blessings. If we view God in this way, then His nature is ever changing based on our circumstances. Is that a God that we really want to follow? We are blessed to follow a God that is who He is. In Exodus 3.14, God declares “I am who I am.” I love this phrase because it sheds light on the nature of God.

The modern evangelical church seems to be a bit enamored with blessings. We sing for Him to pour out His blessings upon us. We praise Him when we are blessed with tangible things that help us make it through life. We pray that God “blesses” us in prosperous ways. I have heard people say that they are so blessed while others seem to not be as blessed. I have sat in meetings when people seem to think that God is pouring out His blessings on our endeavors. This view of God is based upon what He gives rather than who He is.

I know that I have said that I am blessed to have a job, a home, a car, a steady income, etc. I have said these things in the past. If I were to lose these things, I would probably say that I am blessed to have other things. But that line of thinking still focuses on what He has given rather than who He is.

Financial blessings may pour out from the heavens but that isn’t the blessing. The blessing is that we have a God who is benevolent.

Forgiveness flows freely from Him but that isn’t the blessing. The blessing is that we have a merciful and gracious God.

We may do a great work in this world but that isn’t the blessing. The blessing is that we have a God who is focused on showing this ministry of reconciliation in this world.

We may be blessed with a spouse or a boyfriend/girlfriend but that isn’t the blessing. The blessing is that we have a God who desires relationships and created us with that same desire.

Our blessing is that God is who He is.

Does this mean we shouldn’t pray for these other “blessings?” That is a great question and one that I have been pondering quite a bit lately. I honestly don’t quite know. We are told that we can ask anything of God. But are our motivations pure (we could get into a long conversation about the question of whether or not anyone can have “pure” motivations)? Or are our motivations based upon what He can give us? I would appreciate any input you are willing to give on that point.

If our view of God is based upon an idea that He has blessed us with a great day of football (yes, I saw a tweet from FOX that stated we were blessed with a great day of football last week), then I think we are missing out on what blessing really means and who God really is. We are blessed because of who God is not because of what God gives. We need to stop using the word “blessed” in substitution for living the “American Dream.” It does a great hindrance to who God is and what He is about.