When God Withholds Blessing—And Why That’s Actually Good News
- Lee Young
- Jan 7
- 2 min read
Psalms 37:5-6
5 Commit your way to the LORD;
trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun. (NIV)
Our passage today reminds us clearly that God loves to pour out His favor upon us and all that we do. Yet, the Lord cannot bless anything that undermines the forming of our spirit to His, leading away from His goodness. Because God is good and desires the best for us, He never rewards what will ultimately harm His creation. He will not participate in our self-destructive behaviors. He will not endorse behavior that diminishes life or leads people toward harm. But when we commit our way to Him, He is filled with excitement to overwhelm us with goodness and favor.
To commit our way to the Lord is not asking God to bless the behavior or direction we choose. It is to ensure that our life is rolling in His direction.
We must first ensure that the thing we wish to do or pursue is pleasing to Him. It must bless others with peace, love, and joy while encouraging them to lean into God. It must align with the good way of life He has set forth in Scripture. Then, we must pursue that thing or behavior in a way that is pleasing to Him. Even if what we are attempting to do or accomplish is commanded by God, if we go about it in a way that conflicts with His way of doing things, He cannot bless it.
Paul addresses this clearly in his letter to the church in Corinth. He teaches that even if someone would give away all they have to the poor, but do not conduct themselves with love, their good deed is worthless in His eyes and He will not bless it.
We must give the Lord credit, acknowledging that our efforts have been blessed by God and His favor have allowed us to accomplish more than what was possible in our own power. To God be the glory!
Finally, we must be grateful that God has allowed us and chosen us as conduits of His power and love. We do not take credit but give thanks for the privilege of participating in such a great work as instruments to reveal an invisible God to an unbelieving world. What an honor it is to serve Him and His mission.
This is what it means to commit our ways to Him. This is what trusting in God looks like. And He will be faithful to His promise to reward us and vindicate us so brightly. We do not serve Him to be rewarded. We would be using Him in that way. We serve Him because He has already been so gracious and kind to us. He has already poured out His blessing and favor. We serve Him in gratitude, but in His kindness, He cannot help Himself. He must continue to bless those who bless Him.
Prayer: Lord, help me to put my trust in You, to commit my ways to You, not to get anything, but for all You have already done. Amen.
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