What Is the Purpose of Blessing?

Most of us think of a blessing as something that lands in our lap. Scripture says the purpose of blessing is bigger: God blesses you so His goodness can move through you to someone else. Every gift you have, from your skills to your family, has other people in mind.

What does "blessed to be a blessing" mean?

It means God's blessing is meant to flow through you, not just to you. The idea comes from the promise God made to Abraham.

I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.

Genesis 12:2 to 3

On Beyond Sunday, Pastor Marty Sloan calls this covenant "the essence of God's heart for mankind." A blessing is something God gives you, and it looks different for each person: health, relationships, guidance, provision. From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture tells the story of God bringing His people back to His original hope. That hope is simple: I will bless you, and you will be a blessing.

God blesses because blessing is His nature. So for people made in His image, blessing others should come naturally. As Pastor Sean Sloan puts it, God doesn't so much have a mission for His church as He has a church for His mission.

Why does God bless some people more than others?

God gives different gifts so each person is positioned to bless others in a unique way. Pastor Marty uses the picture of a pipe. A pipe carries water. It doesn't produce it. God is the source. Your part is to position yourself under His blessing and decide that it will flow through you as well as to you.

That applies to every gift you have. Some people are skilled with their hands, some with their minds. Some speak several languages. Some carry deep compassion. Each one puts you in a position to bless someone else, and as you open that line up, God keeps filling it.

This is something Israel often missed. God chose them, but they were never meant to be an elite group. They were chosen for the good of everyone else, and ultimately Jesus came through Abraham's line to bless all nations. The same is true for you. Every blessing in your life has others in mind too.

How do you keep blessing from turning into pride?

You keep it from turning into pride by giving God the credit. Pastor Marty describes a man on a flight who talked loudly the whole trip about his house, his company, and his accomplishments. Every sentence was "I have" or "I've done," with no reference to anything beyond himself.

A follower of Jesus sees it differently. Your occupation, your skill set, the place you work, the person you married, how your kids turn out: God did that. When you give Him the glory, others get a chance to look to Him too.

That recognition leads to humility, then gratitude, then praise. In the end it becomes a life lived as worship. It's easy to skip this step. Jesus once healed ten men, and only one came back.

Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?"

Luke 17:17

We can take God's blessings and simply enjoy them, without sharing them or even crediting Him. Often we just don't see that it was God.

What is the difference between blessing and favor?

Blessing is what God gives you. Favor is how God positions you. Joseph is the clearest example. God's favor positioned him. Yet his path ran through betrayal by his brothers, slavery, false accusation, and prison. Only then did he stand in front of the brothers who had sold him.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

Genesis 50:20

So favor doesn't mean a free ticket. Sometimes God works through a hard season to make it part of your story. Joseph's suffering shaped how he treated people in need, because he had been in need himself. And God positioned him to keep alive the family line that Christ would come through.

What if you can't see God's blessing right now?

Look at the long story, not only the moment. We tend to judge God's blessing by what's happening today, while God is working on the long term. Favor is often easier to see looking back than looking forward.

Underneath all of this is God's sovereignty, which means God is in control. He created you for a purpose, and He has been on mission since the first promise in the garden. When you trust that He is sovereign and good, you can even be grateful for your difficulties and praise Him in them. Whatever your moment looks like, He is working on the long term.

Common questions

What does "blessed to be a blessing" mean?

It comes from God's promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:2, "you will be a blessing." God blesses you so His goodness can flow through you to others, not so it stops with you.

What is the difference between God's blessing and God's favor?

Blessing is what God gives you, such as provision, health, relationships, or guidance. Favor is how God positions you for His purposes, as He did with Joseph.

Does God's favor mean life will be easy?

No. Joseph had God's favor and still faced betrayal, false accusation, and prison. God used those seasons to position him to save many lives.

How can I be a blessing to others?

Start with what God has already given you: your skills, time, resources, and compassion. Ask who each gift could serve, and give God the credit so others are pointed to Him.