We all know that God has a deep desire to bless us, as can be seen in several Biblical texts:

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

God's plans are always perfect and can never be hindered, but the Lord desires to see in us attitudes that demonstrate our true faith and perseverance, as it is written:

Jeremiah 20:12 Lord Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind...

We have a story in the Bible of a general named Naaman, who was a leper, and he nearly lost his blessing (healing) because of his attitudes.

This general had come to Israel to meet the prophet Elisha seeking a cure for his leprosy, but Elisha did not receive him and sent word to him:

2 Kings 5:10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.

Naaman was indignant with such a command, because he thought that diving in the River Jordan was a very simple thing to do for him to be healed and he almost didn't fulfill what Elisha ordered.

THE ORDER WAS TO WASH SEVEN TIMES IN THE JORDAN RIVER, so it could not be once or six times, nor could the wash be in another river.

Let's take this situation as an example for our lives, maybe you are looking for a blessing from God, a miracle and for you to conquer this blessing God has been telling you to do such simple things, such as: go to church, pray with faith, determine, persevere, change attitudes, change your words..., BUT THIS HASN'T HAPPENED.

It's very sad, but people themselves are preventing God's blessings in their lives, because they are not willing to act simply and with the least effort to make God happy, if we can call it effort: going to church, pray, be faithful and obey God.

These attitudes should be pleasurable and desired by every Christian, but in fact, for some people, they are like a burden and that is why they despise them daily and this saddens the heart of God.

GOD PROVES AND HONORS OUR FAITH, as he always did and honored in several Biblical examples, as for: Noah, Abraham, Daniel, Jeremiah, Elijah, Elisha, Peter, Paul, among others.

Seek, but seek in faith, do your part, let go of discouragement and immerse yourself in the things that are of God, as often as necessary, and God will honor you, because God's plans about you are plans to prosper you and not to harm you.

The Lord bless you and keep you

Pastor Val Martins