http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Corinthians+3:8&version=NIV1984
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke+17:10&version=NIV1984
Survivor Guilt. Or Survivor’s Syndrome. This is a condition where a person feels guilty for surviving an incident that someone else did not. For example, some of our soldiers who have fought in Iraq or Afghanistan experience this as they deal with the death of their comrades. They feel guilty that they survived an attack while one, or several, of their friends died. Survivor’s Guilt can also be experienced by people who survive an accident. A crime. Or even a layoff. Instead of the traditional ‘Why me?’ when misfortune befalls them they ask, ‘Why them and not me?’ when misfortune befalls others.
Sometimes I think that I have Blessing Guilt. Don’t bother looking it up because I don’t think it is official. By Blessing Guilt I mean that a person feels guilty for being blessed in ways that others aren’t. I confess that I experience this from time to time.
By all accounts I am a very blessed man. I have a wonderful wife who is incredibly gifted, loyal, and loving, and we have been married for 36 years. I have 3 wonderful children who are now adults who I am very proud of. I have 4 precious grandchildren (with another one on the way in a couple months) who are cute, loving, and talented. I own a nice home. We own 2 cars. I am a pastor. Every week I get to study, pray, and preach - and get paid for it! I serve a wonderful congregation whom I love and who loves me in return. I have great health. I can see. Hear. Talk. Walk. And many other things. You see, I am a very blessed man. And I know it. I also know this. I don’t deserve it.
Now some would challenge me on this. They would say that I deserve to be blessed because I have been faithful and true to God. And so it is only right and natural that God has blessed me. I understand this. But I also know that there are many other Christians who aren’t as blessed as I am. They have gone through a divorce. Or lost a spouse in an accident. Or to an illness. They may have a child who is developmentally-disabled. Or who died. Or who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. They don’t have a ‘career’. They have a dead-end job that doesn’t even begin to pay the bills. They may not own their own home. Or have a very reliable vehicle. They may not enjoy good health. They may not have many family and friends who love them. They might not even live in this country. They may be living in a country that is opposed to the Gospel. Like China. Or Saudi Arabia. Or North Korea. The fact is that there are untold millions of Christians around the world who don’t enjoy anywhere near the blessings that I do. Yet God loves them just as much as He loves me. And their faithfulness and loyalty to Him may far exceed my own. Now you understand why there are times when I experience Blessing Guilt.
What to make of all this? When I stop and think about it, all I can do is to chalk it up to the Sovereignty of God. I don’t enjoy the blessings I do because I deserve it. Because I don’t. It is only by the sheer goodness of God that I have been born in this land of plenty. And been given so much. All I can do is to thank God for the blessings He sends my way. To receive them with humbleness and gratitude. To enjoy them because this is why God has given them to me. I also understand that I need to share what I have been given. Instead of selfishly hoarding it. Or spending it only on myself.
The Bible tells us that God is a righteous Judge. Someday He will reward each person according to what they have done with what He has given them. (See The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25) I take great comfort in this. Others who didn’t receive anywhere near the blessings that I have will be rewarded. Fairly. By God. And I won’t mind. Those who didn’t have much of this world’s blessings deserve to experience them in Heaven. I won’t be jealous. I’ll be happy for them. And together we’ll take the crowns and rewards that we receive and lay them at Jesus’ feet. Because, ultimately, He is the only One who deserves them!
Lord, I thank you for the many, many blessings that I enjoy. I receive them with gratefulness, knowing that I don’t deserve them. Help me to enjoy all the blessings that You have given me. And to be careful to share them with others. And to use them to advance Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Sometimes I think that I have Blessing Guilt. Don’t bother looking it up because I don’t think it is official. By Blessing Guilt I mean that a person feels guilty for being blessed in ways that others aren’t. I confess that I experience this from time to time.
By all accounts I am a very blessed man. I have a wonderful wife who is incredibly gifted, loyal, and loving, and we have been married for 36 years. I have 3 wonderful children who are now adults who I am very proud of. I have 4 precious grandchildren (with another one on the way in a couple months) who are cute, loving, and talented. I own a nice home. We own 2 cars. I am a pastor. Every week I get to study, pray, and preach - and get paid for it! I serve a wonderful congregation whom I love and who loves me in return. I have great health. I can see. Hear. Talk. Walk. And many other things. You see, I am a very blessed man. And I know it. I also know this. I don’t deserve it.
Now some would challenge me on this. They would say that I deserve to be blessed because I have been faithful and true to God. And so it is only right and natural that God has blessed me. I understand this. But I also know that there are many other Christians who aren’t as blessed as I am. They have gone through a divorce. Or lost a spouse in an accident. Or to an illness. They may have a child who is developmentally-disabled. Or who died. Or who is addicted to drugs or alcohol. They don’t have a ‘career’. They have a dead-end job that doesn’t even begin to pay the bills. They may not own their own home. Or have a very reliable vehicle. They may not enjoy good health. They may not have many family and friends who love them. They might not even live in this country. They may be living in a country that is opposed to the Gospel. Like China. Or Saudi Arabia. Or North Korea. The fact is that there are untold millions of Christians around the world who don’t enjoy anywhere near the blessings that I do. Yet God loves them just as much as He loves me. And their faithfulness and loyalty to Him may far exceed my own. Now you understand why there are times when I experience Blessing Guilt.
What to make of all this? When I stop and think about it, all I can do is to chalk it up to the Sovereignty of God. I don’t enjoy the blessings I do because I deserve it. Because I don’t. It is only by the sheer goodness of God that I have been born in this land of plenty. And been given so much. All I can do is to thank God for the blessings He sends my way. To receive them with humbleness and gratitude. To enjoy them because this is why God has given them to me. I also understand that I need to share what I have been given. Instead of selfishly hoarding it. Or spending it only on myself.
The Bible tells us that God is a righteous Judge. Someday He will reward each person according to what they have done with what He has given them. (See The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25) I take great comfort in this. Others who didn’t receive anywhere near the blessings that I have will be rewarded. Fairly. By God. And I won’t mind. Those who didn’t have much of this world’s blessings deserve to experience them in Heaven. I won’t be jealous. I’ll be happy for them. And together we’ll take the crowns and rewards that we receive and lay them at Jesus’ feet. Because, ultimately, He is the only One who deserves them!
Lord, I thank you for the many, many blessings that I enjoy. I receive them with gratefulness, knowing that I don’t deserve them. Help me to enjoy all the blessings that You have given me. And to be careful to share them with others. And to use them to advance Your kingdom. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Pastor Jim....I am a fellow victim of blessings guilt... I pray I can continue to find ways to die to self and give back what has been given to me. Love being home again in blogosphere!
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