2 Corinthians 12:9-10 – And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast [c]about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in distresses, in persecutions, in difficulties, in behalf of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Although I do say it sometimes, for those who may not have the same frame of thought, and sometimes out of habit, I do say “God bless you.” But often I hesitate to say God bless you, especially to mature Christians because they already know that God blesses them. This doesn’t negate praying for specific needs, but at times in the past I have said God bless you and saints will say “I know He does.” And we do know that. Besides, God does not need me to ask Him to do what we know He already continuously does. I expect God to bless you because His Word says He does and that is all I need. Also because I intimately know Him and who He is and I know how greatly He blesses me and cares for me, and since I am no more special to Him than anyone else, He obviously is blessing those who also love and serve Him. And not to our surprise the people of the world. (Matthew 5:45) It is who He is.
My email “sign off” says not “God bless you,” but “May we perpetually walk in the awareness of His presence with us.” The question is not if God blesses but rather are aware of and do we understand and take advantage of the ever present blessings that He pours onto us.
So concerning our weaknesses, we know that we have them. We all should know that we have weaknesses and we should work on them. However, we erroneously think that we should work on them by ourselves. Nothing is farther from the truth. In everything, whether big or small, we need to run to God to ask for Him to give us the victory. Let’s look at salvation, Jesus had to come because we were utterly unable to save ourselves. He had to make the way and then show us the way. (Romans 8:12-14) I know that I have no strength and am prone to sin but by the strength and blessings of God, as I humble myself and realize that my strength is of no value, as I instead rely solely on God, then my challenges become victories and I live in peace. I am nothing and to know that is a very good place to be. However I am a child of God and so, because of Jesus, I am something, and that is the best place to be. Praise God Almighty who is our strength! Praise God!
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will Hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, Oh man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.
Numbers 6:24-26 – The Lord bless you and keep you; 25 The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 The Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.