Blessed in "being", not in "doing"

We all want blessings in this life, don't we?  After all, we work hard, do our best to raise our families in the right way, are loyal and devoted friends - so why is it wrong to think there might be a little blessing waiting for us? I think we all think blessings are equated with our "doing" rather than our "being".  I like what our pastor says, "Humans are beings, not doings".  Chew on that one a bit and you will see the wisdom in those words.  We get so focused on the "doing" of life, we forget the original intent is for us to "be".  "Beings" are content in "being" what God has created them to "be".  It gives a sense of great satisfaction and ultimate blessing to those who learn to walk not in the "doing" of life, but in the "being" of life.  Doing follows being - when our "being" is connected to Christ as it should be, our "doing" will follow in obedient and right living.

Great blessings belong to those who fear and respect the Lord, who are happy to do what he commands. Their descendants will be given power on earth. Those who do right will be greatly blessed. Their family will be very rich, and their goodness will continue forever. A light shines in the dark for those who are good, for those who are merciful, kind, and fair. (Psalm 112:1-4 ERV)

"Being" involves relationship - when we were created as human beings, God didn't just create us as another one of the moving creatures of this earth.  He created us uniquely like him - so we could relate to and with him.  Why is it we humans are attracted to other humans?  Isn't it because we find we can "relate" to one another?  On a rare occasion, we might find a pet of some kind who we "relate" to such as our special horse, or the pup we raised from infancy.  Yet, to be perfectly honest here, we don't actually "relate" in quite the same way with those pets.  We love them, care for them, protect them, etc.  What we get in return is a sense of loyalty - they are by our side, and may even come to our rescue if we were hurt at some point.  Yet, they are not humans and are incapable of relating to us with the same set of emotions, spiritual connection, and physical attributes of another human.  We were created to relate to the ones closest to our "created type".

That means we were created to relate to God first and foremost.  We are actually created in his image, so it makes sense we are "designed" to relate to and with him.  It is one thing to relate "to" someone - we kind of connect with that individual because of the similarities we have.  It is another to relate "with" that individual - because in so doing, we begin to share not only the "safe stuff", but that stuff we might be carrying around which we have labeled as "unsafe" to be shared in common with everyone else.  God is our safe place, my friend.  He is the person we can share those things with when no one else can relate to us in that moment or those circumstances.  We do ourselves a great disservice when we hold back from sharing with God those things which give us the greatest angst in life.  

As I indicated, doing is an off-shoot of being.  We "do" because we are comfortable with the "being".  When I am comfortable with my relationship with Jesus, I find myself "doing" the things which bring him joy and great pleasure. This is sometimes called "obedience".  When I am uncomfortable for any reason within this relationship, it is usually because I have veered into "doing" what is not very honoring of the relationship.  I find myself at a distance from him because I choose to step away from the closeness of this relationship (even for just a moment or two).  In time, my "doing" causes my "being" to be disturbed. If this disturbance is not addressed timely, it impacts the relationship and I pull further away until I find the chasm wide and deep.  The good news is that God is quite adept at "bridge-making".  Even when I don't recognize how to cross that chasm created by my "doing", God makes a way through his forgiveness and restoration.

Blessing isn't related to "doing" everything right.  It is related to "being" everything we are created to be - living, breathing, worshiping creatures - deeply in love with the one who created us to live, gave breath to our souls, and creates the music in our spirit which gives voice in our worship.  Just sayin!