Be Your Best to Give Your Best!نموونە

Day 17 — Blessed to Be a Blessing

Do you ever give yourself permission to receive?

As women in leadership and business, we are often focused—even worried—about what we are giving. We think about how much we give, what we give, and whether it will be enough. However, we rarely stop to ask whether we are receiving what we need in order to keep giving.

The call to give does not cancel out the call to receive. In fact, the two are inseparably connected. When God spoke to Abraham, He said, “I will bless you… and you will be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2, NIV). Notice the order: God blesses first, and only then does Abraham become a blessing. What we release to others must come from what we have first received from Him.

We cannot pour out from an empty vessel. And yet, how many times do we try? We stretch ourselves thin, convinced that our value lies in constant productivity, in always showing up, in meeting every demand. However, without first being filled, our giving cannot be sustained.

But here is where many of us struggle: giving feels noble, while receiving can feel selfish. The truth is the opposite. To receive from God—His strength, His wisdom, His encouragement, His provision—is an act of stewardship. But God does not pour into us only in private moments with Him; He often chooses people as channels of His blessing. A timely word from a mentor, the support of a friend, or an open door in business can be the very way God refreshes us.

Receiving is not selfish—it is acknowledging that we cannot sustain ourselves, and that God, through the hands and voices of others, equips us to give our best.

Proverbs puts it this way: “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25, NIV). Refreshing others flows naturally from being refreshed ourselves. If we never pause to receive, eventually what we give becomes shallow, depleted, or even forced. But when we allow God to fill us first, our generosity flows with joy, consistency, and lasting impact.

Today, take your time to pause and reflect: are you giving out of overflow, or are you giving out of exhaustion? Where do you need to slow down, make space, and allow God to pour back into you, so that what you give flows from His abundance in you?

Prayer: Lord, thank You for blessing me so that I may be a blessing to others. Teach me to receive from You without guilt or hesitation, knowing that everything I need flows from Your hand. Refresh me daily with Your wisdom, peace, and strength, so that my giving may carry eternal impact. Amen.