In the prosperity the Lord has given to all of us who live in the United States, we should never forget why we enjoy such prosperity. If we forget that it was the Lord who gave us so many blessings, we will wander into ways of thinking that lack the gratitude and humility the Lord desires for His people.

Moses warned Israel not to forget that all their blessings came from God. “Be careful to obey all the commands I am giving you today. Then you will live and multiply, and you will enter and occupy the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors” (Deuteronomy 8:1). Moses went on to say, “He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (vs. 3). 

Moses cautioned the people, “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large, and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful!”  (vs. 11-13).

Plenty can become the enemy of our spiritual integrity. It can blind us, leading us to focus on bickering and demeaning others, which only produces spiritual blindness in our hearts and attitudes.

In the middle of these blessings, Moses issued a warning that still holds true today. “He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful” (vs. 17-18).

Whenever we forget it was God who has blessed us, we will become hardened and partisan. In times of blessing and abundance, we can too easily forget that God is the source of all our blessings. We need to be careful to guard that truth.