God Made Him Prosper. Does That Mean God Didn't Make Me Prosper?

Prosperity and success are interesting things.  The Bible has a lot to say about both.  As I have written many times, the Bible is a book of balance.  Too many people take one verse and try to build a complete idea or belief on that one verse. 

One of the reasons I try to read an Old Testament verse and a New Testament verse each day is to try and get some of that balance.  One of the coolest things about being in the word daily is that I believe it gives God a great way to directly influence our daily lives, thoughts, and beliefs. 

Today  is a good example.  As I read the Old Testament I came across this verse.

2 Chronicles 26:3-5(NKJV)

3Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem. 

4And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father Amaziah had done. 

5He sought God in the days of Zechariah, who had understanding in the £visions of God; and as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.

OK, cool enough.  Uzziah became King when he was pretty young.  He reigned a long time.  He followed God, and God made him prosper. 

Well what if I'm not prospering right now.  Does that mean God is making me not prosper because he is unhappy with me or something?  Maybe but in my opinion probably not.  What I mean is that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, doing your very best to know God and follow His will in your life then He probably isn't punishing you by withholding prosperity.  At least that is my belief. 

But just because we are following God and doing our very best doesn't mean that Whiz Bang Boom, we get everything we want, when we want it.  There is more to it than that. 

My second reading today was from Luke 11.  What a coincidence that it tied right in with my OT verse don't you think? 

Luke 11:9-10(NKJV)

9“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 

10For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 

There's that Whiz Bang Boom again.  This is another verse that just seems to give that impression doesn't it?  Well here is what I discovered today.  Let's look at the previous 4 verses.

Luke 11:5-8(NKJV)

5And He said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; 

6for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; 

7and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? 

8I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.

I think this is the key that many miss.  I call it the Persistence and Patience Factor.  Notice in verse 10 above it says everyone who asks receives.  Well a lot of people may be saying "Hey I've asked but I haven't received yet.  What's the deal?"

The deal is that you haven't asked for it enough yet.  I believe that verse 8 is an indication that God really admires persistence.  He wants you to keep asking because it helps demonstrate your true desire. 

"So I keep asking but still nothing.  What's the deal??"  Be patient.  If through prayer you are convinced that what you are asking for is within God's will for your life than give God time to do His thing.  Because His thing is making sure you are prepared to receive the prosperity and success that you are asking for. 

Prosperity and success are not as easy to handle as some people think.  We've all seen examples in the news of people who have achieved meteoric success only to crash and burn because they didn't handle it well.

This is my belief and what I have experienced in my own life.  Ask for those things that you believe are part of God's will in your life.  Be persistent in your asking but patient in your attitude and timing.  God will get you there and if you trust His timing more than yours it will be so much better than you expected!