What's In It for You If You Follow God?

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” (Psalm 103:2 ESV)

In nearly every relationship and association with another, human beings deal with benefits, at least subconsciously. We consider getting them, losing them—even offering them and sometimes forgoing them. We rarely truly forget them, and we most often choose to trust in them.

The top candidates I interviewed for open positions at the publishing house where I was a managing editor never outright asked, “What’s in it for me?” Yet I knew each one, on some level, needed to know what joining my team would mean for them beyond gainful employment. Human Resources outlined salary range, paid time off, health insurance, and other benefits the company could offer, but if I wanted these men and women to consider the job, I had to convey a roster of benefits only a direct supervisor could.

These candidates had to believe I would challenge them, but not burden them to the point of exhaustion. They had to be convinced I would support their professional goals, that I’d stand with them to resolve inevitable encounters with conflict. They had to trust I would guide and, if necessary, correct, but never belittle them or shame them if they made a mistake or chose unwisely. That I would then go forward, not dwell on the past.

They had to be confident a job offer meant I truly thought they were the right person for the position, that I wasn’t just filling a slot or choosing someone I thought would make me look good on the surface. And they had to believe that every person I hired worked as part of a greater whole, yet was individually and uniquely valued.

Most of all, they had to trust that following my lead would undergird their well-being in the workplace. They had to put faith in benefits I conveyed could be theirs.

But sometimes I failed. My human weaknesses kicked in, and their faith seemed misplaced. My promises—perceived or otherwise—fell short.

What’s in it for you when you follow God?

The benefits the Lord provides are beyond what any human can offer, no matter the relationship or effort. Throughout Scripture, we find his promise to deliver them, and he cannot and will not let us down.

Yet sometimes, in life’s difficult moments, we forget that promise, forget his unfailing nature. In Psalm 103:2–10 (ESV), David documents many of the Lord’s rock-solid, always-available, far-beyond-human-capacity benefits for us:

Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.

Do you ever ask What’s in it for me? when times are tough, when you aren’t sure following God is working for you? Even subconsciously? Try reviewing David’s list, but in the most personal way:

God will…

forgive me.
heal me.
pull me out of any pit I’m in and redeem me with love and mercy.
satisfy me and renew me.
work out righteousness and justice for me when and if I am oppressed.
make his ways and acts known to me.
be merciful and gracious to me.
be slow to be angry with me and have steadfast love for me.

God will not…

chide me.
keep his anger forever, even if I deserve it.
deal with me according to my sins.
repay me according to my iniquities (mess-ups, mistakes, willful wrongdoing).

What’s in it for you when you choose to trust the One who never fails to keep his promises? These incomparable benefits that come only from God Almighty.

Don’t forget them.

Jean Kavich Bloom is a champion coffee drinker and a freelance editor and writer for Christian publishers and ministries. She doesn’t garden, bake, or knit, but insists playing Scrabble is exactly the same thing. Jean and her husband, Cal, live in central Indiana. They have three children (plus two who married in) and five grandchildren. She blogs at bloominwordstoo.blogspot.com.