Single or married, we are all believing that God will bless the work of our hands. God is interested in doing this, especially when that work of our hands is in alignment with His purpose for our lives both here and eternally.
The best place we can enjoy God’s blessings is when we are right at the center of His will and purpose for our lives!
The scriptures say here:
Deu 28:12 (KJV) The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.
There is a good treasure of God that can be closed or opened. There needs to be cooperation between heaven and earth wherein the land in its season gets rain given from heaven.
The blessing of the work of our hands can be exemplified in the reality of being a victor and not a victim, where you can be the owner of a loan-giving company and not owe several loan sharks who keep calling friends and families with threats.
All of these dynamics can be found in just one verse! This verse needs to be studied, as a panacea to lack and poverty, as a way out of famine!
We all know the chief cause of famine can be a lack of rain, right?
Let’s take a look at another transition.
Deu 28:12 (MSG) GOD will throw open the doors of his sky vaults and pour rain on your land on schedule and bless the work you take in hand. You will lend to many nations but you yourself won’t have to take out a loan.
Hey! He will pour out rain on your land on schedule!
Isn’t that powerful?
You will lend to nations and won’t have to take a loan!
A good prayer here is this:
Lord, throw open the sky vaults and pour rain on my land in Jesus’ name!
I have learnt over time, that there are certain blessings you don’t have to pray for. The scriptures rightly tell us what to do if we want these blessings activated in our lives, finances, and relationships. One of such blessings is the blessing of longevity.
Long life comes from honoring one’s parents.
Eph 6:1-3 [NLT] Children, obey your parents because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do. “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first commandment with a promise:If you honor your father and mother, “things will go well for you, and you will have a long life on the earth.”
So rather than praying for a long life, focus on honoring your parents- biological and spiritual.
Likewise, the blessing of favor has an instruction attached.
Ps 5:12 [ESV] For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.
This simply means for you to be favored, you have to be righteous. It’s as simple as that. You cannot be living in sin and expect the favor of God to rest upon you.
Let’s see how this verse is explained in another translation
Ps 5:12 [AMPC] For You, Lord, will bless the [uncompromisingly] righteous [him who is upright and in right standing with You]; as with a shield You will surround him with goodwill (pleasure and favor).
A life of compromise cannot attract the favor of God.
Look at Joseph. What made him favored in the prison? It was his life of righteousness that God saw and decided to show him favor.
Gen 39:21 [KJV] But the LORD was with Joseph, and shewed him mercy, and gave him favour in the sight of the keeper of the prison.
While it is good to pray for the favor of God, it is better to lead a life of righteousness.
Marriage is an institution created by God for a purpose. It’s one of the most significant decisions you will ever make. This is a world where emotions run high and destiny calls, but many singles still find themselves asking if they should marry for love or purpose.
Genesis 2:18 (NIV) The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”
The scripture gave us a reason why it is not good for a man to be alone which is why it said He will make him a helper suitable for him. The gospel truth is that love and purpose work together and every destiny decision must have a strong WHY.
The first thing Adam saw in Eve was her beauty. He was blown away and immediately gave her the name WOMAN. When he was to name the animals that God created, God had to give the instructions, but when he saw his wife, his purpose to oversee, to be fruitful and to multiply began to flow effortlessly, which made him name Eve immediately. Even though he was asleep when she was created out of his ribs, he got her name at first sight and followed through with sweet lines.
Genesis 2:23 (NIV)The man said, This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called ‘woman,’ for she was taken out of man.”
There has to be a complementation between you and your spouse that allows you to flow naturally in the fulfillment of your purpose with deep love.
So, leaving purpose out for love does not balance with the equation of God.
Here are reasons you should marry for love and purpose.
1. Love without purpose is risky
Love is a powerful force. It makes your heart race, gives you butterflies, and makes you believe in forever. But love alone is not enough to sustain a marriage. Feelings can be fleeting, and what happens when life gets hard? You will no longer feel the excitement you once had. When you make love a choice, your WHYs will reflect and you will be able to sustain better than relying on the feelings of love alone.
Proverbs 19:21 (NIV) “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.”
Marriage without purpose is like a car without fuel. It may look good on the outside, but it won’t go far.
2. Purpose without love is a struggle
On the other hand, marrying only for purpose, whether it’s for ministry, business, or societal expectations without genuine love can feel like a job instead of a joyful union. If you choose a partner just because they align with your calling but lack deep affection, your marriage may feel forced and duty-bound rather than fulfilling.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 (NIV) “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”
Purpose alone won’t carry you through the days when you need warmth, affection, and deep emotional connection.
3. Balance love with purpose
The best marriages are those where love and purpose align. Love brings joy, intimacy, and companionship, while purpose gives direction, meaning, and a shared vision. God’s design for marriage is not just about romance or function, it’s about a divine partnership that glorifies Him.
Before saying “I do,” ask yourself:
● Does this person truly love me, not just in words but in action?
● Do we share the same spiritual and life purpose?
● Will our marriage honor God and advance His kingdom?
God’s plan for marriage includes love, partnership, and purpose to work together. If you marry only for love, you may wake up one day wondering why you’re together. If you marry only for purpose, you might feel emotionally disconnected and unfulfilled.
It’s only when love and purpose meet that you experience a marriage that is not only joyful but also God-ordained. So, love and the tendency of your purpose fulfillment have to be found in the person you’re choosing for marriage.
A cheerful disposition is such a potent experience that it cannot be taken lightly.
It is the environment in which God thrives.
On the other hand, the devil thrives in an atmosphere of sadness, depression, and despondency.
Pro 17:22 (MSG) A cheerful disposition is good for your health; gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.
Gloom and pessimism can have a detrimental impact on one’s well-being.
Which of these two emotions would you prefer: joy or sadness?
I know you would choose joy.
The joy of the Lord is your strength!
As unmarried individuals, experiencing sadness or unhappiness during a particular season of life would only exacerbate those circumstances.
Instead, cultivate a state of joy, as it is the source of your inherent strength and resilience.
Let’s take a look at other translations.
Pro 17:22 (AMPC) A happy heart is good medicine and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.
A happy mood is like taking the right medicine. It works wonders, as the Bible says.
Whether you’re single or in a relationship, make it a habit to find something funny to laugh about every day.
If you’ve been struggling to find the humor in things, here are a few ideas that might help:
Try to find something funny to laugh about every day.
How do you do that?
1. Schedule Laughing Time:
Make time each day to watch a funny movie, read a hilarious book, or play a game that makes you laugh.
2. Find the Humor:
Laugh at yourself and find the humor in everyday situations.
3. Be Playful:
Let loose and have some fun together! Engage in playful activities and games that bring laughter and joy to your relationship.
Did you know that sharing laughter can release oxytocin, the “love hormone”? It makes us feel attached and close to others, especially if you are already married. So, next time you’re feeling stressed or upset, try laughing about it and feeling the joy!
Have you ever prayed about something and then you imagine exactly how God should answer? Thinking, “He’ll do it this way, at this time, and everything will fall perfectly into place.” But then, nothing happens, or worse, God shows up in a way that feels completely opposite to what you expected. Frustrating, right? That was exactly how Naaman felt.
Naaman’s story teaches a valuable lesson. When prophet Elisha told him to wash in the River Jordan seven times, he was offended. Why? Because it didn’t align with how he thought God would work. Naaman expected a grand display of Elisha calling on God, waving his hand, and instantly healing him. Instead, the solution was simple and humbling.
How often do we do the same? We pray, but deep down, we’ve already imagined how God should answer. Maybe it’s healing, provision, or finding the right partner, and we’ve mapped out exactly how it should happen. Then, when God doesn’t follow our plan, we are disappointed, frustrated, or even offended.
But here is the truth. God’s ways are not ours, and His thoughts are far above ours as recorded in Isaiah 55:8. Like Naaman, we need to let go of our expectations and trust that God knows best. His instructions may seem unconventional, and His timing may stretch our patience, but His plans for us are always good (Jeremiah 29:11).
Are you waiting for God to send the right person, but it feels like the wait is too long? God is asking you to work on your character first. Perhaps in marriage, the journey looks nothing like the dream you envisioned. Whatever the case, always remember that God’s instructions may not always make sense to us, but obedience brings breakthroughs.
Naaman was only healed when he humbled himself and followed God’s word, even though it was not what he expected. In the same way, our blessings often lie on the other side of trust and surrender to God.
So today, let go of the“how” and“when.” Stop trying to control the process. Trust His plan, obey His word, and believe wholeheartedly that He has good things in store for you.
