It’s easy to overlook the process of preparation in a world that often celebrates instant success and overnight miracles. God, in His infinite wisdom and mercy, is more concerned with who we become than what we achieve, that’s why we are built before blessed.
The truth of the gospel reveals that before blessings are bestowed, building must take place. The blessings will come, but only after the foundation is strong enough to carry the weight. During trials, true greatness is forged through character, not convenience.
Greatness in Trials
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” — James 1:2-4
Trials are not signs of abandonment but invitations to transformation. James makes it clear: trials are tools not to harm us but to strengthen and mature us. The seed of greatness often germinates in the soil of adversity.
Biblical Examples of Building Before Blessing:
- Joseph: Betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and falsely imprisoned (Genesis 37–50). Yet, each season built humility, resilience, and wisdom. At the right time, God elevated him to govern Egypt.
- Job: Though blameless, Job faced catastrophic loss. His story is a testament to enduring faith. God not only restored him but revealed deeper truths about divine sovereignty and human trust (Job 42:10).
- Paul: Imprisoned, beaten, shipwrecked, yet he wrote much of the New Testament and shaped Christian theology. His trials refined his message and his mission (2 Corinthians 11:23-28).
These lives weren’t marked by ease, but by endurance. Greatness, in God’s economy, is marinated in time, testing, and trust.
Before David faced Goliath, Saul offered him armour. Armour that seemed protective, even logical. But David quickly realised, “I cannot go in these, because I am not used to them” (1 Samuel 17:39).
David’s refusal wasn’t arrogance; it was discernment. He had trained with a sling, not a sword. He understood that the tools we rely on in our battles must be tested in private before they’re used in public.
How often do we, in our own seasons of pressure, reach for advice, relationships, or methods that don’t fit our spiritual frame? Well-meaning counsel that lacks divine relevance can mislead rather than prepare. It is in seasons of difficulty that our true character emerges. And if we have not allowed God to build us in private, we may crumble in public.
Built by the Spirit
Building isn’t just external. The most essential formation is internal.
“And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” — 2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)
We do not achieve righteousness through rituals or religious zeal alone. We become righteous through the ongoing, sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. This transformation is spiritual.
This is not about perfection but progression. As believers, we must not rush ahead of God’s process. Every trial is a chisel. Every delay, a furnace. And every moment surrendered, a step closer to becoming like Christ.
In a world of shortcuts, God is still committed to the route of formation. Because what He builds, He preserves. And what He blesses, He first refines.
When God prepares to bless a life, He first prepares the vessel. Just as no builder places a roof before the foundation, God will not promote a soul not yet prepared.
Remember: light shines by character. If your core is weak, your shine will collapse under the weight of exposure. But when built by trials, tested by truth, and shaped by the Spirit, you will be ready. Not just to receive the blessing, but to carry it with grace and responsibility.
Conclusion
So, if you’re in a waiting season, a refining season, embrace the process. God is building you. And soon, the blessing will find you strong enough to hold it.
You are being built before being blessed.
Reflection Questions:
- What trial are you facing now, and what might God be forming in you through it?
- Are you carrying advice, habits, or beliefs that don’t ‘fit’?
- How can you actively submit to the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work in your daily life?
- Am I being built before blessed?
I pray that God helps you to be consistent and build character before the battle. May you walk in what fits, what has been tested, and what God is training you for.
Amen.