Am I really “#blessed?” 

Have you seen it? The #blessed trend on social media?  Of course you have.

#Soblessed #blessed #blessings

Apparently, facebook and twitter have a lot of blessed people.


I’ll give you a couple examples . . .

I have frequently seen people posting selfies with their startbucks with hashtag “blessed.” (If you have done this, just take a moment and giggle ok?)

A mom of a potty training toddler, who just took a poopy in the potty – hashtag “#blessed.”

Folks with exciting news about their new boat | car | cottage  #blessed

People talking about how awesome their lives are with combine hashtags - “#humblebrag and #soblessed”

Recently, I have even observed a conversation where a few women seemed to be competing as to which one was more “#blessed,” and it could have aired as an episode on Jimmy Kimmel. The ridiculousness and hilarity was screen worthy.

Perhaps you get the picture . . .


These usages tend to cause me pause - - -it is one of those things that make me go “hummm.”


This post may be a couple years late . . . because that is how long this hashtag has been bothering me (joking |not joking). Today is the day I feel to give myself and all of us a reminder as to the broader picture of blessing.

So what does it mean to be blessed? 

It seems that most of these tweets and hashtags are linked to “the good life,” success, beauty, or material gain.

Sometimes it just seems like less of giving gratitude to God and more about self-advertising, self-centered living.

Again. . . . things that make me go “hummm.” 

Is that all there is to blessing? I mean, I’m all for gratitude, and I’m a pretty excitable person myself – but is that the only way we perceive blessing?


Let me ask you before you read further, do you “count your blessings?” If you do, what is usually on that list? What is usually on the top of that list?


In the New Testament there are over 100 references to blessing and none of them seem to be linked to material gain.


There are a couple words used for blessed or blessing in the scriptures.

1) Barak (OT, Hebrew) – blessed of God, of men, of things, of fruit of the womb
2) Esher (OT, Hebrew) – happiness
3) Makarioi (NT, Greek) – receive God’s benefits, to be fully satisfied, to receive favor regardless of circumstance, something that draws us closer to God


Let’s take a look at these verses to enlarge our perspective of blessing: 

1) “Even more blessed are those who hear God’s Word and guard it with their lives!” Luke 11:28 MSG
2) Blessed are those who’s sin and disobedience are forgiven. Romans 4:7
3) Blessed are those who face trouble and trials.  James 1:2



Jesus most popular sermon was on blessing . . .  Matthew 5:3-12 MSG

3 “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God . . .

4 “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you . . .

5 “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought. . . .

6 “You’re blessed when you’ve worked up a good appetite for God. He’s food and drink in the best meal you’ll ever eat. . .

7 “You’re blessed when you care. At the moment of being ‘care-full,’ you find yourselves cared for. . .

8 “You’re blessed when you get your inside world—your mind and heart—put right. Then you can see God in the outside world. . .

9 “You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family. . .

10 “You’re blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God’s kingdom. . .

11-12 “Not only that—count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens—give a cheer, even!—for though they don’t like it, I do!

Savor that ^

And again ^ 


Why blessed with such a harsh list? These draw us and compel us into closer relationship with God.  This list also reveals God through us!

#blessed!


This paints for us a broader picture of blessing than we often consider or are comfortable with.

Blessings are not just externals but about a deep internal work in our hearts and character.

When you pray blessing on someone – you are not just praying for provision or protection – it is about their PERSON too!

Might I go as far to say a major BLESSING God has for us is to freely and fully become the person He has designed us to be - our TRUE U?!

Those of you who have children - do you enjoy constant give me give me rants? Not really eh? But you do take joy in giving to your children who are grateful? Even more than that I'm sure you are ecstatic to teach and instill good character to your children as they grow?

Why do we think our father only wants to bless us with "stuff." He wants to bless us more so with SUBSTANCE of character. 

Oh I do believe that God can bless us with provision and protection. I do pray God would bless us with both. I do not want to diminish his provision and protection in our lives, but I do want to highlight and expansion of blessings that we often fail to consider as blessing.


How often do you go to the beatitudes in Matthew 5 as a check list for blessing?
Sometimes things that were meant to bless can be seen as a curse.

There can be a challenge, conflict, or criticism in your life that can transform you if you invite God into that pain.  If we allow Him to teach us through trial there is transformation and blessing.  If He is not with us through challenge, conflict, and criticism they can become the things that undo us.

Is some of our “unwellness” because we have not yet considered trials and trouble as an opportunity for blessing? Have you invited God into that pain and process? 

I challenge our hearts to go beyond a style of prayer where we treat God like a genie in the bottle – with a bless me attitude that is selfish.


Let’s expand our view of blessing from mere material gain to ask ourselves these question:

1) What is God using to draw me closer to Him? (Perhaps something | circumstance I have rejected or avoided and causing greater pain?)


2) How is God working in me so that I can reveal His presence to others? (Where is there a challenge that is actually producing apparent goodness and growth rather than toxins in my life? Are there toxins because you are self-sufficiently #blessed rather than God’s presence with you and working in you #blessed?)

3) Where can I be a blessing that impacts others? (Do I hoard blessings or do I pass them on?)

Blessings can also come in the form of challenge, conflict, criticism and as we draw near to God in those times we are blessed with his presence. This is all so that through our challenge, conflict, and criticism we can reveal Jesus to those around us.

That is the biggest #blessed #soblessed #blessing there is.