It may be more blessed to give than to receive, but God wants us to do both. After all, how can we give something if we don’t first receive it to give?— Jack Wellman
God is always trying to give good things to us, but our hands are too full to receive them.— Saint Augustine
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
John 1:12 KJV
As the ark of the Lord came into the city of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, and she despised him in her heart. And David returned to bless his household. But Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!" Michal, the daughter of Saul, had no child to the day of her death.
2 Samuel 6:16, 20, 23
God is good and He delights in giving His children the best but sometimes we are not inclined to receive them. Through this account in 2 Samuel 6, we are invited to examine the barriers that might hinder us from fully receiving His blessings.
Michal was privileged to be married to David, a man adored by the women of Israel. However, living in close proximity to him, she lost sight of David’s heart for God. Familiarity with the king led her to disdain his exuberant celebration of God's presence. When the people of Israel were blessed by this priestly king, Michal’s contempt hindered her blessing. In fact, she died childless—likely missing the opportunity for David, her anointed husband, to pray for her to conceive.
Michal’s error is clear in hindsight. But might we also be guilty of falling into the same trap? We may chase the prayers of renowned spiritual leaders, yet overlook the ‘man of God’ right beside us—our husbands, fathers, resident pastors, or faithful friends in the Lord. This mirrors Jesus’ declaration:
Even Jesus, though filled with power to heal, was not fully received in his hometown. In Mark 6:3, we read how the people took offence at Him: “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?”
They couldn’t see past his humble origins. Meanwhile, in other places, crowds thronged to witness the wonders of God through Him.
Similarly, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and teachers of the law failed to acknowledge Jesus' divine anointing. But those considered sinners recognised Him as the Anointed One sent by God. In my own experience, I have observed that distant individuals often receive more from me than those closer or those who hold themselves in higher spiritual regard.
Beloved, we risk missing out on divine blessings if we judge others based on outward appearances rather than spiritual revelation. To receive God’s best, we must learn to see by the Spirit, just as John the Baptist did when he identified Jesus. He told the crowd, “I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptise with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptises with the Holy Spirit’"
(John 1:33). Let us refrain from judging by our natural senses and instead discern through the Spirit of God.
Another common barrier to receiving, particularly in terms of love and generosity, is a sense of unworthiness. Some of us struggle to receive good gifts from others or even from God. We dismiss compliments or doubt the sincerity of affirmations. But what if we learned to receive such acts or words of love with genuine gratitude? The impact could be transformative, turning simple gestures into profound blessings.
I once heard a story about a beggar who asked for change from a famous person. The person offered him two options: some change or $300. The homeless man quickly chose the change and ran off. Sadly, many of us act similarly, settling for less when God offers us so much more. God is a good and generous Father, eager to bless us abundantly. If He did not withhold His only Son from us, what else would He not freely give us? (Romans 8:32).
Today, let us prayerfully consider the obstacles that might be preventing us from fully receiving the blessings God has in store for us. Is it pride, self-sufficiency, low self-esteem, familiarity, offense, bias, lack of discernment, or a poor perception of God? Let us ask the Holy Spirit to help us overcome these barriers so we can fully partake in His abundance.