I got to thinking today about what a blessing really is. I think a blessing can come in so many different forms that people get confused about what they should be thankful for.
I've had blessings that are just OBVIOUS! There is no confusion about the fact that I was just gifted something wonderful! Like our car, or the fact that my parents just gave me a new computer! Those things are huge and there is no question that God had his hand in them! He was blessing me for whatever reason and I have been so thankful! I've been blessed recently to have a child who after a very long struggle, is finally almost potty trained! Again, an undisputed blessing (especially for those mommies out there who know how frustrating the process can be!).
And then I've had those blessings that at the time, I couldn't see them for what they really were. They were those times when I wanted something and didn't get it. Or when I prayed for something to happen and it didn't. Or I lost something that I wanted to hold onto. In the end, God knew that none of those things were right for me and he BLESSED me by not allowing them to continue or to happen at all.
I know that sometimes when things aren't going the way I want them to, I have a difficult time seeing the positive. Lately I've been bogged down with stress and worry at work, and I am finding myself struggling each day just to maintain a positive attitude. I find myself praying almost without stopping, that I can do everything right, and not forget anything, and not mess up. But sometimes, I do mess up. I do forget something. I don't do something right. In those moments, I have to remember that for one reason or another, God needed me to go through this to take me when He knows I should be. That alone is a blessing.
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that your life can be full of blessings if you have the right outlook. Even the hard things can feel like a gift. And if you pursue God with a heart of gratitude and praise, He will certainly reward you.
I've had blessings that are just OBVIOUS! There is no confusion about the fact that I was just gifted something wonderful! Like our car, or the fact that my parents just gave me a new computer! Those things are huge and there is no question that God had his hand in them! He was blessing me for whatever reason and I have been so thankful! I've been blessed recently to have a child who after a very long struggle, is finally almost potty trained! Again, an undisputed blessing (especially for those mommies out there who know how frustrating the process can be!).
And then I've had those blessings that at the time, I couldn't see them for what they really were. They were those times when I wanted something and didn't get it. Or when I prayed for something to happen and it didn't. Or I lost something that I wanted to hold onto. In the end, God knew that none of those things were right for me and he BLESSED me by not allowing them to continue or to happen at all.
I know that sometimes when things aren't going the way I want them to, I have a difficult time seeing the positive. Lately I've been bogged down with stress and worry at work, and I am finding myself struggling each day just to maintain a positive attitude. I find myself praying almost without stopping, that I can do everything right, and not forget anything, and not mess up. But sometimes, I do mess up. I do forget something. I don't do something right. In those moments, I have to remember that for one reason or another, God needed me to go through this to take me when He knows I should be. That alone is a blessing.
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that your life can be full of blessings if you have the right outlook. Even the hard things can feel like a gift. And if you pursue God with a heart of gratitude and praise, He will certainly reward you.