All That We Have Is a Gift from God

Jesus’ Resurrection is the greatest blessing, but Colleen Mallette reflects on the attitude we need to have about all the earthly gifts God has given us.

We just celebrated the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the greatest miracle and gift our Loving God can give us. This blessing grants us eternal life with Him, which is more important than any other earthly gift He may bestow on us.

We may pray for good health, a loving family, success in our careers, a warm home and any other material or emotional blessings we deem important. But those are only temporary comforts that don’t have any eternal rewards. Without faith we don’t live in love and charity or worship of God which is what we ought to do. For EVERYTHING we have been blessed with comes from God anyway, not of our own accord. So whatever state in life we are in at this moment is where God wants us, and all that matters is faith in the afterlife with Him.

“No one can receive anything except what has been given him from heaven." (John 3:27)

All that we have has been given to us from God: our very being, our personalities, our talents (which may have led to a successful job or hobby), our families, and all we possess. God gave or allowed us to have all that we have, and He has the right to take any of it away at any moment.

More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having any righteousness of my own based on the law but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God, depending on faith to know him and the power of his resurrection. (Philippians 3: 8-10a)

St. Paul is telling us that he recognizes that everything he has is worth nothing if he doesn’t have faith, and that everything he has is a gift from God anyway. Having knowledge of God’s righteousness and power is worth more than any other blessings. He would give everything away before he would give up his faith, and he would willingly give it all up for Him if asked.

If we take this to heart, then we have to be willing to give away our children (to another town or new family when they marry), our spouses when they get ill, any past unforgiven hurts, the right to not be treated fairly, the lack of wisdom to understand a current situation, the open promotion at our company, the funds to get the newest cell phone, or any other thing we may feel is owed to us.

Click to tweet:
Jesus, help me to remember that all I have is Yours and all that is important is Your grace! #catholicmom

brown-wrapped gift with heart shaped tag

The Prayer of Surrender by St. Ignatius of Loyola is so beautiful and worth praying daily to remind us that all we have comes from God and is worth losing as long as we have our faith:

Take, Lord, receive…
All my liberty,
My memory,
My understanding,
My whole will,
All that I have and
all that I possess.
You gave it all to me;
To You, Lord; I return it all.
It is all Yours:
Do with me entirely as You will.
Give me Your love and Your grace:
That is enough for me.

Thank you, Jesus, for coming to earth and dying and rising for us. Help me to remember that all I have is Yours and all that is important is Your grace! Amen.