In everything, follow the way that I mark out for you, and you shall prosper. Jeremiah 7: 23.
While growing up, my dad kept sounding this to our ears; “Obey God and He will bless you. Avoid sin, practice virtues, and be good. This way God will look favourably at you and bless you”. Although we knew all these and really wanted to be blessed, we couldn’t really avoid sin, or live the way God wanted. Avoiding sin is a bit hard when you do not know or love Christ. Practicing virtues stems straight from the heart, out of love for God and not out of fear for suffering.
It is true that when you love God and obey him, He blesses you and remains with you. When you are in a state of grace, the devil runs away from you, because he cannot stand the powerful scent of holiness. However, our intention matters a lot. It is easier to live a holy life out of true love for Jesus, than to do so out of fear of suffering or hell.
This doesn’t also mean that bad things do not happen to good people. Rather, a lot of good people suffer a lot. In short majority of good people are suffering. Good people are the ones who would rather remain poor than accept bribe, good people are kind to people even when they maltreat them, good people do not waver in the face of suffering; they do not compromise, they remain firm in their faith in Christ.
Good people are the martyrs who died for the sake of Christ and the church. So your motive for living a good life should not be because of the good things God gives His children. If this is your motive, when these good things disappear, you’ll easily waver and fall. Your motive for living a good life should be out of true and fervent love for Jesus who saved us.
