You Got Blessed, and you Complain?

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Ever received a blessing from God only to immediately focus on what's still missing? In this soul-stirring devotional, I open up about our family's journey buying our first home during the uncertainty of COVID. While grateful for our beautiful house, I initially felt disappointed about not having renovation funds—until God showed me a powerful lesson about gratitude and action that changed everything.

Drawing from Joshua 16-18, we explore two contrasting responses to God's blessings. The daughters of Zelophehad boldly claimed their inheritance in a time when women typically received nothing, demonstrating how faith coupled with action brings transformation. Meanwhile, the tribe of Manasseh complained about their portion instead of working with what they had, allowing fear to prevent them from claiming all God promised them.

This devotional hits right at the heart of modern Christian struggles: being thankful for blessings while still feeling entitled to more. I share candid reflections about overcoming comparison traps, recognizing God's timing, and understanding that divine blessings often require our participation. 

Whether you're waiting for God to improve your circumstances or feeling stuck comparing your journey to others, this message will challenge you to see your current blessings through new eyes. 

Key Passages:

Joshua 16, 17 & 18

Philippians 2:14-15

Numbers 27:1-4

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Podcast Music by: prazkhanal
Song: Whip

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, hello.
You're listening to the JesseMorgan Devotions for the
Christian Heart Podcast, episode48.
This week's devotional istitled you Got Blessed and you
Complain.
Let's go.
Hi, I'm Jesse Morgan.
I used to just share home decorand renovation tips on social
media, but now I'm sharingsomething even closer to my

(00:21):
heart my journey and love forJesus Christ, my Savior.
Welcome to the Jesse MorganDevotions for the Christian Hot
Podcast.
This is a weekly devotional.
I started back in May 2024, butthe inspiration for it came
much earlier.
It was rooted in a faithjourney that began when my
daughter was born, four monthsearly in 2023.
Through that challenging time,god worked in ways that truly

(00:43):
amazed me.
On this podcast, I sharepersonal stories of faith, woven
together with scripture to showjust how incredible God's word
can be in our everyday lives.
My hope is that through thesestories, you'll be encouraged,
uplifted and reminded of God'slove and presence, no matter
what you're going through.
So I invite you to spend lessthan 15 minutes with me each

(01:05):
week as we reflect on thesedevotionals together.
Let's all pray.
Within Episode 48, you GotBlessed and you Complain.
Key passages Joshua 16, 17, and18, numbers 27, 1-4, and
Philippians 2, 14-15.
Hey, everyone, welcome back toanother episode of this

(01:29):
wonderful podcast that God hasso blessed me with, excited to
continue our study of Joshua.
Today, I want to talk aboutsomething that really hit me
hard when I was reading Joshua16-18, basically saying.
It was saying to me you can'tkeep asking and complaining for

(01:49):
more.
Sometimes.
You have to work with what youhave.
You have to take action.
I remember when me and myhusband were buying our first
home in 2020.
Thank God, my husband pushed meto go for it because, honestly,
I was terrified, probably likemany people, especially with

(02:10):
COVID happening.
I had been furloughed for fourmonths and didn't even know if I
could get my job back.
But, with faith in God, westarted looking and eventually
we found our first home in SouthFlorida.
We found our first home inSouth Florida.
The house is a four bedroom,three and a half bath, with a
screened in pool and about 2,300square feet, and let me take a

(02:32):
moment to praise God for that 3%interest rate that's locked in.
Amen.
If you own a home, a car orsomething, you know what I'm
talking about.
Thank you, lord.
So you know, we got pre-approved, we put in an offer and we won
the bid on the house.
Our loan officer assured usthat with our income we qualify

(02:54):
for a good loan and enough tohave some extra money left over
for renovations.
Now let me be real with you all.
This house was straight up fromthe 1970s.
I always say Michael Jacksonand the Jackson 5 would be
coming out of the front door.
That's what we were dealingwith a little bit.
The previous owner did nothingexcept replace the roof a couple

(03:17):
of years prior.
It really needed work.
So we were counting on thatextra loan amount to make some
updates.
But when we got to the closing,reality hit.
The lender had kind of fibbedwith us.
We only got enough to buy thehouse with zero left over for
renovations.

(03:38):
My heart sank.
I was so disappointed and Iknow my husband could see it all
over my face I startedquestioning whether we should
walk away.
I'm like we can't take on thishouse with so many issues and
you know just so many things.
But deep down I knew this househad potential.
We had searched for months andthe market was still moving so

(04:01):
fast at the time.
So we moved forward even thoughwe had no extra money to
renovate off the bat, justenough to paint the interior
walls.
At that moment, we had a choicecomplain or work with what we
had.
So we buckled down.
We focused on paying off asmany credit cards and bills as

(04:22):
possible in the first fivemonths, and we did it.
We moved money around and madeit work, and you know what God
blessed us along the way.
My parents surprised us andpaid for the exterior to get
painted.
I paid off that wedding debtthat I had, which, if you don't
know about that story, check outepisode 44.

(04:43):
Which, if you don't know aboutthat story, check out episode 44
.
We saved up enough to get someother things done in the house.
We were able to get the kitchenredone.
We invested in redoing ourbackyard with the pool, we added
turf and fixed up the screen alittle bit.
It was really exciting.
I even studied interior designmore and watched tons of shows

(05:05):
to learn how to decorate on abudget.
My husband also had a ton ofconnections through work, so we
met incredible people inmaintenance and who helped us
with small projects at greatprices.
And you know what?
Through all of this, my lovefor home decor grew into a
passion, so much that I starteda home decor blog and a separate

(05:28):
Instagram that focuses on that.
Now I love our home more andmore every single day.
So next concept let's thinkabout this.
Comparison can steal your joy.
So during those three years thefirst three years of me
renovating this house I had afriend who was also renovating
her house.

(05:48):
But while I was doingbudget-friendly updates, she and
her husband were going all outhigh-end renovations an interior
designer, more marblecountertops, you name it.
Now don't get me wrong, I loveher.
She didn't mean anything bythat, but every time I shared an
update she'd counter with athousand pictures of her

(06:09):
upgrades and how easy it washaving people do all the work
for them.
I know she didn't mean anythingby it, but I felt like the
enemy.
I felt like Satan was trying toget under my skin and to make
me feel ashamed of my progress.
But I wasn't jealous.
I didn't feel like I neededmore.
I was good with what I hadBecause, at the end of the day,

(06:30):
this was my home, my effort, myblessing, and it was enough.
So the lesson from Joshua 17 iswhat really hit me hard Work
with what you have.
There are two stories in Joshua17 that really stand out to me.
The first was the daughters ofZelophehad.
Both faith gets rewarded.

(06:53):
So let me just give you alittle background.
Zelophehad was a man from thetribe of Manasseh, who is that
partial tribe of Joseph, and hedied in the wilderness on the
way to the promised land.
Back then, if a man had no sons, his land went to his male
relatives, not his daughters.
But Zelophehad had fivedaughters that stood up and said

(07:17):
hold on, why should ourfather's name disappear just
because he had no sons?
This is in Numbers 27, 1through 4.
They petitioned Moses and laterJoshua, in Joshua 17, 3 through
6, demanding their rightfulinheritance.
And guess what?
God changed the law.
Israel changed the law becauseof them.

(07:39):
Imagine questioning a law likethat as a woman back then.
What boldness.
And God blessed them for it.
They didn't just complain, theyacted and they delivered the
tribe of Manasseh the next storyI wanted to cover.
So the whole tribe of Manassehwas complaining instead of

(08:02):
acting.
In Joshua 17, 14 through 18,the tribe came to Joshua
complaining why have you givenus only one portion of land?
We are a numerous people andthe Lord has blessed us
abundantly.
And Joshua basically said ifyou're so numerous, go clear out
the forest and take more land.

(08:23):
But instead of moving forward,they hesitated.
They were afraid of theCanaanites who lived there, who
had chariots fit with, you know,iron.
So let me get this straight.
This is me talking now.
After all the battles crossingthe Jordan, the walls of Jericho
and the countless victories,the tribe of Manasseh was still

(08:44):
afraid.
Where was their faith?
Joshua reminded them that theywere strong enough to take the
land, but they had to put in thework.
So are you complaining or acting?
This hit me hard too, because Iwas just like that tribe of
Manasseh when we first got ourhouse.
I was grateful for the house,but immediately freaked out

(09:06):
about not having more money forrenovations.
I had to suck it up and workwith God, because God had given
me a house.
Looking back, I'm embarrassedat how I reacted at first, but I
learned the lesson God provides.
But we have to put in work too.
Just like the daughters ofZelipahad, we claimed our

(09:29):
blessing and acted on it.
We made this house our home andwe're so grateful for it.
Final thought you know, are youwasting your blessing?
Let me ask you this Are youthankful for your blessings but
doing nothing with them?
Do you take action consistently?

(09:51):
Are you waiting for God to handyou everything without putting
in the work.
God gives opportunities, notjust finished products.
Even Jesus had to endure threedays in hell before securing
eternal victory.
He put in the work and he's theking of kings.
So let's stop waiting foreverything to be perfect.

(10:15):
Let's take what God has givenus and expand on it.
And I just wanted to quicklyrecap.
You know how all three of thesechapters were different, but
all three, for me, are sointertwined, you know.
So, within Joshua 16 through 18, I know we really focused on 17
, but check out the other themesthat really came out of these

(10:38):
chapters.
So in Joshua 16, partialobedience leads to struggle.
Ephraim, the other part of theJoseph tribe, didn't drive out
the Canaanites in their landthat they were given.
They didn't drive out theCanaanites completely and it
caused future issues, which wewill see if you continue to

(10:59):
study the history of Israel.
And then we know Joshua 17 isfaith without action is
pointless.
Complaining doesn't get youanywhere.
And the Zalapahad's daughtersclaimed their blessing, but the
tribe of Manasseh hesitated withtheir blessing.
And then, in Joshua 18, fearwill keep you from your

(11:22):
blessings.
Seven tribes, as they said inJoshua 18, seven tribes delayed,
taking their land out of fear,and Joshua had to push them
forward.
In Joshua 18, two through three.
So as I sit here and just thinkabout it, what a blessing this

(11:43):
lesson was for me, and I hope itwas a big lesson for you.
I'm so grateful for theblessings God has given me and
my family, and when God blessesme and gives me a portion of
what I asked for, I need toalways remember to be grateful,
and I hope you are too.
God gives us the exact portionwe need at that time.
It's been our job as Christiansto praise God and continue to

(12:07):
believe that more will come whenit's time, and not complain
about what was given in themoment.
Or we receive something and weknow the next step and we don't
want to take it because the lackof faith and the direction that
God is taking you and youquestion things.
So when you don't obeycompletely too, you will

(12:29):
struggle, like it says in Joshua16.
Just all these thoughts I just,I'm just so encouraged.
I want you to be encouraged.
We are children of God.
When we are blessed, we mustenjoy it and take action, take
the next step and not complain,for it says in Philippians 2, 14

(12:51):
through 15, do everythingwithout grumbling or arguing so
that you may become blamelessand pure Children of God without
fault in a warped and crookedgeneration.
Then you will shine among themlike stars in the sky.

(13:12):
Let's pray Lord.
Thank you for the blessingsyou've already given us.
Help us to stop complaining.
Help us to stop having fear andto start acting and to start
praising you and to startknowing that we will be blessed
again in the future when thetime is right.
Strengthen our faith so we canstep into those blessings you
have prepared for us.
Father, we love you and Father,we praise you in Jesus' name,

(13:34):
amen.
Thanks for tuning in Until nexttime, taking on Joshua 19 and
so forth.
Love you, guys, be blessed.
Well, that wraps up this week'sepisode.
I hope these devotions help youdraw closer to God each day.
If this episode encouraged you,please share it with someone
who might need the same message,and don't forget to subscribe

(13:56):
so you never miss a weeklyepisode.
Also, if you feel compelled,leaving a nice review would be
so appreciated as well.
For more information or toreach out, check the show notes
or visit jessimorganhomecom orfind me on Instagram at
jessimorganlife.
Remember God's timing is alwaysperfect.
Keep trusting him Until nexttime.

(14:18):
This is Jessi Morgan praying offJesse Morgan Devotions Behind
the Scenes, starting right now.
Hello, hello, so welcome toBehind the Scenes, just sharing
some thoughts about this week'sepisode and reflection a little

(14:40):
bit.
I just was really excited toshare a little bit more of our
journey, of our home and how wegot here, and this week's
lessons in Joshua 16 through 18,were just perfect to fit with
that, and I'm just so gratefulfor the home that we've built
together, me and my husband, andthe creativity that I get to

(15:05):
bring to it.
As people may know, I work intech now as a program manager
and I really enjoy my job.
But I don't get to really beoverly creative like I used to
be when I was in retail.
So, being able to decorate thehouse, analyze things, renovate
construction, I just thrive offof it and I just thank God for

(15:28):
giving me that opportunity andit's been so great to have that
opportunity and I am hoping tobuild on that passion.
But we are just so blessed withthe house and we just guys when
I tell you, when God gives yousomething, be grateful for it,
take it and move forward.
And there's been times I've beenblessed and I've held on to the

(15:50):
blessing, like, oh, this isgood, but I'm afraid to take the
next step and when you do that,you are blocking your blessings
.
You are blocking more blessingsthat are going to come later
and that can hold you back, thatcan hold your family back, that
can hold my child back.
When I think about it like that, I have to move forward.

(16:12):
I have to be Joshua who pushedthe seven tribes.
You have to go get your land,declare your land.
Don't be intimidated by theCanaanites that's us.
Don't be intimidated by otherpeople.
Don't question and think you'renot good enough.
You are good enough because Godblessed you with the job
interview in the first place.
So now go get the job.

(16:32):
Go prep for your interview andkill your interview.
Go prep, for you're putting ona party for a loved one.
Kill it.
Make sure that party's in thebomb and don't question,
thinking, well, they like it.
I don't know I got the bestvenue, but I'm not sure.
No, you got the best venue.
God gave you the venue.
Now go do your part, takeaction.

(16:54):
So I just encourage you takeaction when you are blessed,
take action and don't complainafter you got blessed and I
think to myself how many timeshave we done that?
I've done that.
We got a house and I'm overhere like, oh my God, I can't
renovate immediately.
At least I have a place to liveand we had furniture.

(17:15):
It wasn't like we were livingon the floor, you know.
So just remember, be blessed.
You know, enjoy being blessed,don't complain and move forward
on the blessing, so then God canbless you more later.
So that's my little rant fortoday, but love you guys.
God bless till next time.