How should we respond when God withholds blessings to gain our attention? Setting the Scene: A Jarring Verse “I struck you—all the work of your hands—with blight, mildew, and hail, yet you did not turn to Me, declares the LORD.” — Haggai 2:17 Recognizing the Symptoms of Withheld Blessings • Repeated frustrations where effort outweighs results • Finances that leak away despite careful planning • Relationships stuck in tension without clear cause • A gnawing sense of spiritual dryness even while serving Why God Sometimes Withholds • To expose misplaced priorities (Haggai 1:9–11) • To call His people to repentance and renewal (2 Chronicles 7:13–14) • To train us as beloved children (Hebrews 12:5–11; Proverbs 3:11–12) • To demonstrate that “man does not live on bread alone” (Deuteronomy 8:2–3) Our Right Response: A Four-Fold Path 1. Reflect – Invite the Spirit to search the heart (Psalm 139:23–24) – Compare current pursuits with God’s revealed priorities (Matthew 6:33) 2. Repent – Confess specific sin or neglect (1 John 1:9) – Turn decisively, trusting His forgiveness secured in Christ (Acts 3:19) 3. Reprioritize – Restore worship and obedience to first place (Haggai 1:12–15) – Align time, talents, and treasure with Kingdom purposes (Malachi 3:10) 4. Rebuild – Resume the last clear assignment God gave (Haggai 2:4) – Persevere, believing future glory outweighs former loss (Haggai 2:9; James 1:2–4) Promises That Follow Obedience • “From this day on I will bless you” (Haggai 2:19) • Joy returns with restored fellowship (Psalm 51:12) • Fruitfulness replaces futility (John 15:5) • Discipline yields “the peaceful fruit of righteousness” (Hebrews 12:11) Living It Out Daily • Begin each morning in the Word before entering your work • Keep short accounts with God—quick confession, quicker faith • Cultivate gratitude for small mercies while waiting for larger breakthroughs • Serve others tangibly; withheld blessings never excuse withheld love • Stay in community where believers can speak truth and encouragement (Hebrews 10:24–25) When God withholds, He is not rejecting but redirecting. Turning quickly, we meet the One who disciplines only so He can bless all the more. |
    |