Blessing

When we heard that a new fast food restaurant was coming into town, fear immediately sprang up within me. After all, we had been THE fast food restaurant in our small town and with a second one coming in, how would that affect our business? Certainly there couldn't be enough business to go around. Would our business be in danger of going under, as had happened ten years earlier in another location? The fears and lies of the enemy just kept assaulting my mind and before I knew it, I was in full panic mode.

Well, maybe, I thought, a semi would come along and crash into the new building and then they would have to close and maybe never re open. These were the kinds of places my mind traveled, as the anxiety and fear overwhelmed me. I didn't realize it at the time, but my imaginings were cursing the new business and owners.

After dwelling in that place for much longer than I should have, God began to teach me about cursing and blessing. He showed me that my seemingly innocent thoughts were also cursing myself and my business, that He had placed me in our little town to be a blessing to the whole community. He certainly was able to provide for my all my needs, I did not need to worry about my food, what I would eat , or my clothes, what I would wear. Initially when God first began to highlight this to me, I was shocked to think that I would curse anyone. I certainly would never do that intentionally.

But our competitive nature so easily rises up, (especially when there's fear) like a venomous dragon, and wants the best only for ourselves. Like an orphan, we are afraid that there will not be enough to go around.

I began to purposefully bless the new building and the new owners every time I drove by the location, even though at first it was a bit begrudgingly. But eventually I found myself blessing them gladly and looking for other places and people to bless. In the long run, our business did not suffer from the opening of that new restaurant and ten years later, we are getting ready to open another location in another community close by.

God has given us all things that we may be a blessing to those around us. Blessing others always exponentially affects much more than we will ever understand on this earth. As marketplace ministers, we are called to be God's funnel of blessing on the earth. Tomorrow as you go out into your community, ask God to show you what business He wants you to pray blessings into and then be obedient. You too will be greatly blessed!