Upside-Down Blessings

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD.” (Jeremiah 17:7)

Those who trust in the Lord are blessed.

That is really hard to believe. Doesn’t it actually seem like those who don’t trust in the Lord are blessed? Doesn’t it seem like those who live however they want to live get along better than those who follow God’s commands? Doesn’t it often seem like following Jesus isn’t worth it at all?

Don’t believe what you see or feel. Believe God’s Word: Those who trust in the Lord are blessed. Part of that trust in the Lord is believing Jesus’ promise that God’s blessings often seem upside-down. One of the most famous sayings of Jesus describes the upside-down blessings of a believer in God:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets” (Luke 6:20-23).

Doesn’t that sound upside-down? Blessed are those who are poor? Yes, because by faith in Jesus we possess the kingdom of God! Blessed are those who hunger in their souls for more than this sinful world? Yes, because the glory and righteousness of heaven will completely fill us! Blessed are those who weep now because of sin and death? Yes, because one day we will rise and see Jesus, and no one will ever be able to take away our joy! Blessed are those who are hated, insulted, and rejected because of Jesus? Yes, leap for joy, because the crosses of our Christian lives will only make heaven that much greater!

When you trust in the Lord, it’s like a farmer planting a seed into the ground. It doesn’t look like anything’s happened. Actually, it looks like that farmer has lost something. He has one less seed! But that farmer trusts. He knows that in the long run, that one seed will produce more than he can imagine. 

Faith in God often doesn’t look like much. In fact, it often feels like you’ve lost something, like you’ve given up the joys and pleasures of this world. But it’s worth it! God has blessings prepared for you that you can’t possibly imagine right now. Just know that they often look upside-down!

Dear Lord, fill my heart with trust in you and pour out your upside-down blessings into my life. Amen.