Rev. Stewart Speaks- Bless Me and I’ll bless You

By Rev. Lakeya Stewart
Ink Spot Contributing Writer

I grew up hearing the phrase, “when praises go up, blessings come down!” Have you heard that phrase before? It has always felt a bit transactional to me. You know, the whole I scratch your back, and you scratch my back mindset. For some reason, I struggled to understand how God needed me to do anything for him in order for me to receive something from him.

I have spent the last several days reflecting on this concept. After reflection, I see that scripture provides multiple examples of a healthy “give and take”. The concept of reaping what one sows is found throughout scripture. On a natural level, you can only reap what you have planted. That requires work. Just as planting requires work, so does our relationship with Christ.

My prayer is that I remain consistent in my praise. It can be easy to bless God when all is well, but what happens when we run out of money? What happens when we lose our job? Will we still praise God? Some of my biggest blessings have come when I have pressed my way and blessed the Lord during a struggle. It was hard and as a human, I cried. God has delivered over and over again and it has become part of my testimony. I remember walking away with a renewed sense of faith, but what if the blessing hadn’t come? Would I still bless God? What if your blessing is delayed? Will you still bless God?

Surround yourself with like minded believers. I am thankful for my community and those that challenge me to bless the Lord in the good times and in the bad times. I have learned that when I bless HIM, he blesses me. Let me encourage you to Bless Him and trust God to bless you! Be blessed.