Blessings on commission?

Blessings are not based on commission.

You know how commission works. The more sales you get, the higher the commission. The "bigger" the sale, the higher the commission. This is great, if you're a good salesman. Kind of not if you aren't. It is not that way with God.

The Lord's ability to bless us is not based how big of a commandment we keep or how many we keep. The ability to bless us it based on what we need, when we need it, and how we need it.

While speaking with a friend, the subject of blessings came up. She was striving to recreate a feeling she felt strongly a couple of years ago where it was undeniable she was receiving blessings from Heaven. She could feel the love of the Lord so strongly-without seemingly "deserving" it. She wanted to recreate this feeling and to be be worthy of the blessings of the Lord. She was taking great care in examining how she was obeying the commandments, her focus on scripture study, her church attendance, and her depth of prayers with God. She was doing what we call the "Sunday School Answers." We all know we need to obey the commandments, read the scripture and pray. She knows that the Lord loves her and that He wants to bless her. But to my friend, it seemed she must have been lacking something because the blessings were not flowing how she thought they should. It occurred to me while we were talking that there is a misconception out there that blessings from heaven are based on commission. When we do something, we get paid by blessings. If it is a small thing, we get small blessings. If we do something grand or lots of small things that add up, we get big blessings. I think I have even taught it in a Sunday School or two that "The Lord wants to bless us if we will just do what he asks!"

This is not necessarily so.

If this were the case, then mankind would actually be the puppetmaster; controlling how, when, and where God doles out blessings. That is absurd to think that man controls God.

Instead of working on commission, the Lord operates on mercy and compassion. The Lord blesses each individual with what they need, when they need it, and how they need it. When it seems we are not receiving blessings, it is important and appropriate that we take stock of our lives, that we evaluate our relationship with God and our attention to the Gospel. But we should not obey the commandments, read our scriptures, and pray more intently simply because we want blessings. We do these things because:

1) We recognize God's omnipotence and understanding that He knows what is good for us. We trust that He knows participating in church meetings, immersing ourselves in the scriptures and studying them, obeying His laws, and strengthening our relationship with Him will help us to be happier. God commands us to have no other Gods before Him because He knows that will lead to confusion and diminished peace and happiness. He knows that no man can serve two masters. Following God's plan brings us happiness! It's an automatic consequence.

2) Because we love Him. He is our Creator! He has created all that is in this world--and beyond! And He has done it for our benefit and enjoyment. He sent a Savior to save you, me, and every other individual from spiritual death and made it possible to return to His presence for eternity! It is through His Grace that we are able to be cleansed from sin and rid ourselves of a mortal body.

I am grateful that God is willing to work with and bless imperfect people, and always will be.