How can we avoid turning against God after receiving His blessings? The Lord’s Warning from Hosea 7:15 “Although I trained and strengthened their arms, they devise evil against Me.” (Hosea 7:15) God’s people enjoyed His training, power, and success—yet the moment prosperity settled in, their hearts drifted. The verse sounds a sober alarm: blessing itself can tempt us to forget the One who gave it. Why Blessings Can Become Pitfalls • Blessings ease pressures that once drove us to prayer. • Comfort disguises subtle pride: “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this.” (cf. Deuteronomy 8:17) • Abundance can dull spiritual hunger, making idols seem harmless. • Influence and ability open doors for self-reliance instead of God-dependence. Heart Practices to Guard Our Loyalty • Remember the Source – “Every good and perfect gift is from above.” (James 1:17) – Speak often of specific ways God provided, healed, protected, guided. • Cultivate Daily Gratitude – “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His benefits.” (Psalm 103:2) – Keep a running list; thank Him aloud before enjoying what He has supplied. • Embrace Humility – “What do you have that you did not receive?” (1 Corinthians 4:7) – Credit God publicly; resist titles or practices that spotlight self. • Stay Saturated in the Word – “Man shall not live on bread alone.” (Deuteronomy 8:3) – Regular Scripture intake recalibrates perspective when success tries to rewrite priorities. • Walk by the Spirit, Not the Flesh – “Walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16) – Dependence on the Spirit keeps strength under God’s control rather than self-indulgence. • Remain in Community – “Let us consider how to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” (Hebrews 10:24) – Trusted believers can spot drift early and speak corrective truth. • Practice Generous Stewardship – “Command the rich… to be generous and willing to share.” (1 Timothy 6:17–18) – Giving keeps our hands open and hearts detached from possessions. • Keep Short Accounts – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive.” (1 John 1:9) – Immediate confession prevents small compromises from hardening into rebellion. Putting It into Everyday Life 1. Begin and end each day verbalizing three fresh blessings and thanking God by name. 2. Schedule regular fasting or simplicity days to remember life apart from abundance. 3. Tie any new achievement—promotion, healed relationship, milestone—to an act of generosity. 4. Invite a mature believer to ask you monthly, “How are you using the strength God gave?” 5. Memorize Deuteronomy 8:10–14; recite it whenever you sense self-congratulation. By weaving these habits into normal routines, we answer Hosea’s warning with steadfast faithfulness—enjoying God’s gifts without ever turning from the Giver. |
    |