Sometimes I complain about blessings disguised as trials. One of the speakers on 17 December 2023 during church in Gerasdorf Austria made a comment about how some gifts come "batteries not included" and it made me think. As a child, I was never disappointed about a gift that didn't come with batteries, because I knew it COULD be fun as soon as I had them, and I knew that my parents would buy me batteries because that's the kind of parents they are. If we truly believe that God loves us, even if he gives gifts that don't seem to be the gifts we like, we know that he will make sure that the gifts will eventually bring us joy. Whether they are ready to use or not, He only gives good gifts.
Sometimes batteries are not included. We often have to put energy into things on our own before they can rise to their full potential. Maybe God gives you a talent or an opportunity, but you don't get the job if you don't apply and you don't learn a piece of music if you don't practice. Sometimes the blessings God gives us require our own effort.
Sometimes assembly is required. Not everything we receive is ready right out of the box. Maybe we need other pieces from other people or other experiences in order to fully assemble it. Not everything can be assembled with an allen wrench; not all of God's blessings can be found in an Ikea. However, like the Good Father he is, God will also help us put things together if we ask, especially if we are working to make it so and putting in the work required to show we value the gift.
Sometimes gifts are not immediately valuable. Jogging shorts make less sense in the winter than flannel pajamas. Savings bonds take time to mature to their face value. Sometimes God's gifts are not something that we can use right in the very minute that we get them. And of course they come when we actually need them.
Sometimes the gifts are not for us. An emergency gift may not be something you ever use. First aid kits may not be exciting, and you may never use them, but it is better to have one and not need one than need one and not have one. You may never have to use it for or on yourself, but you can be a blessing in the lives of other people. In fact, a plurality of God's gifts are given for the edification of others. Tongues, healing, teaching, etc., are all gifts of the spirit that are used to bless OTHER PEOPLE. But you get to be a blessing, to be God's hands in their lives, and other blessings come from that too.
In rare instances, blessings are conditional. You may have to qualify. We know from reading about tithing that God will open the windows of heaven and pour you out blessings, but if you don't pay tithe, don't expect God to shower you with blessings. We know from Shadrach Meshach and Abednego that if you don't eat what God prescribes you can't expect to live a healthy life with a perfect body. Every blessing is predicated on obedience to the law on which it is predicated, which means God's blessings come most often to those who are obedient to God's law. He typically doesn't bless wicked people over those who would have him to be their God.
A gift from God is always something that can bless us and bring us joy. Just because some assembly is required or batteries are not included does not make the gift unworthy. These kinds of gifts are invitations to make them everything that we are willing to make of them. God is willing to make everything of us, and we will get out of his gifts what we are willing to get out of them. We may receive some, or we may receive few, but everyone receives at least one gift and nobody receives all gifts. The gifts are to improve our lives and help us improve the lives of others around us. And sometimes God blesses us so that we can bless others in his name. Whether you wanted flannel pajamas or not, if God gives you them, it's because he knows that in some way at some point it will be for your good. And eventually God will give you the batteries too.
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