The way to receive blessing from the Lord is to keep trusting him and hoping in him, especially when we can’t see the blessing we’re hoping for. We can’t trust and hope in our own ability to solve this problem. We can’t hope in the government or our employer or the economy or anything else. The Lord is the source of all blessing. He doesn’t bless us because we deserve it or earn it, but because he is generous and loving. So we trust and hope in him. We trust in his promises to provide and help us in times of trouble. We hope in his promise to work in our children.

Who doesn’t desire to be blessed? I don’t know about you, but I want to be blessed.

To be blessed implies that someone or something does the “blessing.” The question is, where do we look for blessing. Who or what do we hope will bless us? Jeremiah gives us some advice…

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,
And whose hope is the LORD.
For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters,
Which spreads out its roots by the river,
And will not fear when heat comes;
But its leaf will be green,
And will not be anxious in the year of drought,
Nor will cease from yielding fruit. Je 17:7-8

Most people look to the world to bring them blessing. We can look to money, success, or possessions to bring us blessing. Or a boyfriend or girlfriend or spouse. We all hope our children will be a blessing to us. Lots of people seem to think the government is going to bring them blessing.

All of these things can definitely be a blessing. But this world will so often fail to bless. In one way or another, the “heat comes,” and there will be a “year of drought.” Maybe not physical heat or drought, but other kinds of heat and drought. Relational heat and drought. People can let us down. We can walk through challenging times with our children, spouses, friends and fellow believers, where it doesn’t particularly feel like a blessing.

We must remember our source of blessing is the Lord.

“Blessed is the man…whose hope is in the LORD.” The way to receive blessing from the Lord is to keep trusting him and hoping in him, especially when we can’t see the blessing we’re hoping for. We can’t trust and hope in our own ability to solve this problem. We can’t hope in the government or our employer or the economy or anything else. The Lord is the source of all blessing. He doesn’t bless us because we deserve it or earn it, but because he is generous and loving. So we trust and hope in him. We trust in his promises to provide and help us in times of trouble. We hope in his promise to work in our children.

And how does God bless us?

He doesn’t always give us the exact blessing we ask for right away. But he gives us security – we’re as firm and solid as a tree planted by a stream, whose roots are spread out deep and wide near the refreshing waters. Nothing’s going to uproot that tree or knock it over. We have a deep abiding peace in the midst of trouble – we “will not fear when heat comes”…or “be anxious in the year of drought.” Now that’s a blessing – peace of mind! But wait, there’s more! When we trust the Lord, our “leaf will be green” – we’ll be full of life. We’ll prosper spiritually and mentally. We’ll be doing well when everything around us is drying up. But wait, there’s more! We will not “cease from yielding fruit.” We’ll be spiritually fruitful. We’ll abound with the fruit of the Spirit. We’ll bless others. We’ll have a fruitful life.

Security, deep abiding peace, fullness of life, fruitfulness. Nowthat’s blessing.

So where are you going to look today for blessing? Look to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life, the fountain of all blessings.

Mark Altrogge has been the senior pastor of Sovereign Grace Church of Indiana, PA for over 25 years, and is the author of many well known worship songs such as “I Stand In Awe”, and “In The Presence”. This article first appeared on his blog and is used with permission.