Is doing well a sign of God being pleased with your actions?

Question

I ask this because I once listened to a long speech from an African American about how America was doing so well whilst other others 'over there'- the Middle East I presume- were materially worse off.
I found it ironic considering the wealth of many Western countries was... how shall I put this.. 'transferred' over from the colonies alongside slave workers- his ancestors.

So was this a pleasing act to God? Is this why the West prospered.. dare I say at the expense of the countries whose natural resources were 'borrowed'?

Answer 1

Material success does not mean that God is more pleased with you than with those who have less. There are many people in the bible who were instrumental to God's plan who were poor, there were also many who were rich.

Answer 2

I must answer your question in two parts so I beg your forgiveness if I am a bit long winded. First, the most direct answer to your question would be "no" doing well does not necessarily mean you are pleasing God. For this example, I would have to use the example of any king or ruler in the Middle East like Saddam Hussein who lived in palaces and anything he wanted, gold chairs, gold rooms, cars of every kind, etc. The thing is, though, Saddam murdered, stole, pillaged, plundered, and was generally a corrupt, insane ruler. This definitely goes against God's commandments.

However, God's Word is ripe and filled with promises of abundance if you follow His commandments with faith. The Bible is also clear on the consequences of going against God's commandments and the pain and suffering that it brings with it. It also has cases where God finally decides to judge a society by removing blessings or removing His protection thereby allowing evil to flourish.

I believe that the U.S. has been blessed in the past due to it's Christian heritage and strong Christian beliefs that were reflected in the laws that were made and followed.

God has infinite ability to provide anything and everything to anyone or any society. He doesn't make the Middle Eastern countries or African countries or wherever suffer because He needs or wants to bless western countries.

Answer 3

This is very good question. Many times I am also confused in trying to find such answers. When I ask questions like you, people call me atheist. It's OK with me as long as I can find an answer. Sometimes I question the existence of God. He/She is supposedly kind and humble. We all are considered his children If that is true, why some are suffering more than others. In Hinduism, they talk about Karma and ahimsa ( non violence). If that is true, we in the western world kill animals to eat. Is it not cruelty? If theory of Karma applies, why there are so many Hindus starving? Why western world is showered with all wealth and resources? I don't know what to think about this man's lecture. In Darfur they are killing humans like butchers. Why God don't step in and save his children? When siblings fight over something, parents step in to find a solution or to make a peace. If we are sons and daughters of him, why don't he step in? If he has a reason not to, then is he neutral or is he selfish?

Answer 4

Many Christians believe that God has blessed this country, now that is not to say that that can't change...we have quite a few corrupt people in politics right now, but there are more Christians in this country than any other...while there is a lot of war in Islamic countries like the Middle East and Pagan countries like Africa.

Answer 5

I do not have the mind of God, so as to what God thinks, I can only guess using my finite mind. Doing well does not necessarily mean that God is pleased with a country or a person.. Many people do so well that they think they have no need of God. We are fortunate to live in a country that was founded on Christian principles. The more we get away from these principles, the less we please God.

Answer 6

The U.S. prospered because they were trading with other countries, they had taxes, school, they had a government, they had alot of people who wanted to escape the monarchy of Britain, and also the option for free land. The logical explanation is no... God wasent the reason the west prospered, but the people who made it prosper. And its prospering even more with less wage for the workers and less democracy and more exploitation.

Answer 7

Actually, I tend to believe that the wealthier a person is financially, the less fufilled they are in the spiritual way- material things can make you feel fufilled in a plastic kind of way while you ignore the emptiness elsewhere.
I wish it wasn't the idiots in our country who always get air time on tv. A lot of us (me, at least) are actually open minded, tolerant, and against imperialism. Unfortunately its easy for politicians to convince people like me that they are doing a nice thing ("we need to help Iraq get rid of a dictator and protect ourselves from nuclear attacks from Al Qaeda") when they really want to do something else...

Answer 8

America is doing well because our Fore Fathers built our country and government correctly from the beginning. Our history shows us that America fought for what it has because of the patriotic attitude our citizens have. Nothing to do with God blessing us.

Answer 9

God does not reward people with material success for their prayers. Anyone can get on their knees and pray themselves. God rewards people with riches for forcing other people to pray. That's the real trick. Check out Sunday AM TV. You'll get my meaning

Answer 10

Im only reading this "Is doing well a sign of God being pleased with your actions? " because I am lazy.

No, just because you sucess does not mean G0d is happy with your works. The Devil sucessfully started a rebell in Heaven but was G0d happy? I think not.