The Flip-Side of the Properity Gospel's Blessings

In all of my church going years, I can only remember one preacher ever actually owning up that he believed and preached the Prosperity message.   Most preachers would never claim such a thing.  Most teachers would be aghast to be accused of pushing this theology.  

I have to say that the doctrine is generally presented more subtle rather than outright.  It’s the cultural norm for Evangelicals.  I mean, we all know that God would be most glorified by my life being “pretty.”  Pretty house, pretty family, pretty car…me being pretty skinny (ESPECIALLY skinny!) with blond highlighted streaks, right?

Just so us churchy folks know, that doesn’t make non-believers want to know & love the God of the universe.  It either results in them chasing OUR pretty life (and chasing our pretty life does not equal to pursuing God) or in them being just plain disgusted with us in general.  Messy is more realistic and relatable. 

But as I said, it we’re living our lives according to the rules of the Good Book, we’ll end up with that pretty life.  But what if you love God, with all your heart, and your life is a mobile disaster? 

This is the flip-side of the Prosperity gospel message that I found myself wrestling with this week:

Now, if I follow God’s rules and I am blessed…then what happens if I screw up?  If I break the rules then I am cursed.  This is the logical follow through. 

You see, I’m a rule follower.  I like to know the rules and parameters of things so that I can be in control of my world.  Order is good.  Chaos is therefore bad.  It’s simply a part of my personality and I’m pretty sure that if I can come up with -and stick to- a beautiful list, my world would be grand. 

But maybe it’s not just a “part of my personality.”  I just figured out this week that I’ve been living my entire life for the waiting proverbial hammer to fall.  If I break “the rules” then the curses of God are going to rain down on my head.  And at some point, I am going to break the rules and I am scared. 

For instance, I get sick at my stomach while grocery shopping because if I don’t make wise choices, God is going to curse our finances even more than they already are cursed because we’ve been less than perfect in the tithing department.  What Evangelical hasn’t heard the sermon where God crying over you because He wants to bless you and He just can’t because you haven’t tithed?  He’s so sad because you’re so bad. 

I think it even translates into areas that aren’t specifically addressed in Scripture, but have been taught as if they were.  For example, I do occasionally find myself suddenly wracked with guilt because my boys are going to grow up to be promiscuous, drug dealing drunkards because I’m not homeschooling them. 

I know that giving is a principle He wants for us, to teach us to be generous, to trust Him and not hold onto this world so tightly.  But I think I tend to take the “Do this” and “Don’t do that’s” to an extreme.  I’m not looking at it quite right.  

I feel that the Holy Spirit has blessed me in pointing out my false thinking this week.  Now, I’m praying that He helps me to move from a cognitive understanding to an emotional understanding.  I need to wrap my thoughts to be more like Paul’s. 

Paul, the great Paul, didn’t despair in his failures.  He actually rejoiced in them instead.  So it’s obvious he didn’t see his failings as a reason for God to pour curses down upon him. 

Even Paul struggled.  But he didn’t mess up & then cower in fear & guilt in a hidey hole.  Instead he took this view of his messy life:

“So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.  Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.  That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7b-10 NLT)

God’s not standing over me reluctantly waiting to pour out a bucket o’ curses over me.  Instead, He actually delights in me when I screw up & am humble enough declare I just need His help.