Receiving

God our Lord would have us look to the Giver and love Him more than His gift, keeping Him always before our eyes, in our hearts, and in our thoughts.

Saint Ignatius 

 I have at times thought that what I had was related to my work, effort, good looks, natural charm, fine manners, etc.  At times I have refused to receive forgiveness, acceptance, peace, connections, provision, purpose, direction etc.     I have struggled to allow God to give me things.  

Have you ever tried receiving something from Someone you have imagined doesn't think you are worth anything?  

Have you ever tried allowing Someone to give something to you when you have imagined they hate you? 

Sometimes people have given us things only to ask for favors in return. This can teach us that nothing in life is free. Perhaps our boss may not have paid us when we did not work, our friends may not have taken kindly to not feeling  wanted, the police man may not have pulled us over to thank us on our driving, out teacher may not have come to our desk to tell us how well behaved we are,  , the local social club may not have taken kindly to us when we turn up dressed in old rags,  , perhaps if we don't shower regularly and put on deodorant some people may not like us. 

You can imagine that God is the same.  You can view God like you view other humans. You can think He has an agenda, that He has favourites, that He rates according to your talent, looks, behavior, number of friends, how you dress,  etc.

However, God is not a human.

Numbers 23:19

God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind.

God would reveal Himself to you sufficiently that you would know that God thinks more of you than you think of you. That God desires to look after you more than you desire to look after you. That He desires to give more to you than you desire to receive.  I believe if you know in your heart how much God wants you you will be a lot more able to receive from God.  God wants you more than He wants Himself. He wants to give to you more than He wants to give to Himself. 

Matthew 10:8 

Freely you have received; freely give.

1 Corinthians 4:7 For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

John 3:27 John replied, "A man can receive only what is given him from heaven.

Acts 17: 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.

Romans 12: 3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but think of yourself with sober judgment, according to the measure of faith God has given you.

1 Peter 4:10 As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another.

1 Chronicles 22:12 And may the LORD give you wisdom and understanding, that you may obey the Law of the LORD your God as you rule over Israel.

Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Job 32:8 "But it is a spirit in man, And the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding.

Exodus 31:3 "I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship,