Encouragement

The Flow of Blessings

by Agatha Mangwende 
05/31/17
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As a young girl, I grew up in a village where we had irrigated fields of corn and vegetables. As I remember now, I am fascinated by the irrigation system that my parents used. It was one of those old-fashioned canal types, as depicted in the picture here.

 The water would flow from a centralised place, but there was always someone who would control where it flowed to. We had fields on both sides of the irrigation canal that needed to be watered. The fields themselves were divided into patches belonging to different families.

So it was important for whoever was in charge of the allocation of the water flow to be familiar with how the system worked, and to know who was to be allocated water at any given time. It was not about who wanted to water their field at that time; but about who was next in line to receive the much-needed resource. If it wasn't your turn, you just had to wait. The only exception was only when the one in line deferred that privilege to you.

I feel that sometimes God gives us blessings in that manner. It is not about knocking on heaven's door and demanding for His supply as we want it. But it is about submitting our requests, and humbly waiting upon Him to provide in His time. And sometimes it is about giving up our meagre resource to someone who needs it even more. Like the widow of Zarephath (1Kings 17:7-16), when she had to provide for Prophet Elijah. God could be testing your heart before He responds to your need.

I am also learning from this irrigation canal picture, that sometimes God uses a different 'gate' to supply our needs. We may be looking towards the west gate for His provision, while He is busy opening the north gate. We just need to trust Him for His faithfulness. There is no need to get offended or disappointed when those we were expecting to give towards our supply, do not do so. They were not the canal gate that God wants to bless us through. You don't have to bitter towards them; and who knows, they may be the next gate God will use on another occasion.

When we develop this spirit of receiving what is ours through His own timely supply, we learn to trust God more and more.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.  2 Corinthians 9:8