Rejoice in our sufferings? Really? Ummm, I don’t think so. I’m not so happy and thankful when I’m in the midst of a trial. And, honestly, sometimes Paul’s “happy, happy; joy, joy; everything-is-wonderful-even-though-my-life-stinks-right-now” attitude can get on my nerves. And until just recently, I felt like I was a bad Christian because I don’t feel thankful for the difficult times in my life.
I am, however, very thankful for the blessings that have come out of those trials. Maybe that’s what Paul meant. Maybe he didn’t want us to be thankful for the actual thing that caused our suffering (a death, a disease, etc). But maybe he wants us to recognize the blessings that God gives us when we are in the midst of those trials.
For instance, I am not thankful that my marriage ended and my mother passed away (within a month of each other). I am, however, so very thankful for the blessings that God gave me during Hell Year 2004 and since. During that year, God brought me into a wonderful group of women who comforted me, counseled me and helped me through the darkest time of my life. God knew I needed the help of these awesome women and He knew that they needed a lost sheep to help. In the midst of a trial season that I thought I would never survive, God surrounded me with incredible blessings that helped me in ways I never thought possible.
Since that time, God continues to send blessings that I would have never experienced if I had not gone through that dark time. When I was in the middle of my divorce, I was in a nothing job that paid peanuts. There were times when I had to decide whether to buy groceries or put gas in my car. I thought that I would have to live in a cramped apartment the rest of my life. But a year after God brought me to Atlanta, I was able to buy my very own house in a nice neighborhood with lots of space. And out of that move to Atlanta, I have gone on wonderful family vacations ~ something else I thought I’d never be able to afford again.
If I had not gone through Hell Year 2004, I would not have moved to Atlanta and I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to get closer to my cousin and her awesome children, who I absolutely adore. Kyle, Leah, Maddie and Brenna are one of the very best blessings to come out of my trial season. I cannot imagine my life without them in it. I love, love, love being around them. And if I had not moved to Atlanta, I would not have met my best friend, Carole, who is such a blessing to me. I cannot imagine my life without her in it either.
A few years ago, I went through another difficult time in my life. Am I thankful that my heart was broken again? No I am not. But I am thankful that out of that time, I got closer to my precious friend, Faith and her family who I just love. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to get to know this wonderful family. And if it hadn’t been for that heartbreak, I probably wouldn’t have joined the ladies Bible study group at my church where I have met wonderful women who have helped me grow closer to God.
Sometimes it can be very difficult to find the blessings when we are in the midst of a trial season. And sometimes we miss the blessings because we are too wrapped up in the hurt, sadness and disappointment of our trial. But the blessings are there. We just have to recognize them.
All our blessings aren’t always big and life altering. Sometimes it’s the little things that happen. Like a note or phone call from someone who was just thinking about you just at the right time. Or maybe it’s a rainbow after a rain storm or a butterfly that just happens to fly across your path. Or the perfect parking spot close to the store when it’s dark and you’re nervous about walking in the parking lot alone. Those are blessings too. At those times, we need to stop, recognize it as a blessing and thank God for such a gift.
Last week, I went to McDonald’s for lunch. It was a rainy day. I was very busy at work. I was feeling overwhelmed with all the things I had to do at home and at work. I wasn’t in the best of moods. But when I got to the park and opened my bag of food, I discovered that I had THREE packets of bar-b-q sauce instead of the usual two. Ok, this may seem like nothing exciting to you. But if you like to dip your French fries in the bar-b-q sauce like I do, you know that two packets just isn’t enough. This was a big deal. And I chose to think of it as a blessing from God. So I stopped and thanked Him. And I’ve gotta tell you, thinking of that extra packet of sauce as a gift from God brightened up the rest of the day for me.
Ezekiel 34:26 says, “I will bless them and the places surrounding My hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.”
God gives us huge blessings like healing someone who is sick and saving marriages. But He also gives us small blessings such as bright sunshine on a cold day, a hawk soaring overhead and the sound of laughter. The thing is, are we going to recognize God’s blessings only when they are for the big ticket items? Or are we going to recognize them even when they seem small and insignificant?
I challenge you to recognize the blessings ~ big and small. Especially the ones that come in the midst of your trials. You may think they are hard to find, but they are there. God loves us too much to let a day go by without blessing us in some way. What blessings has God brought you in the midst of your trial and because of a trial you had to go through? Think about it. I bet you can recognize quite a few.
Remember: “From the fullness of His grace, we have all received one blessing after another.” John 1:16
Precious Jesus, words cannot express how thankful I am for the blessings you have given me through my trials and the blessings that have come out of those trials. May Your light shine upon us in big ways and in small ways. I pray that each of us will recognize the blessings you give us each and every day. Especially the ones that come in the midst of our trials. We love You and we are so thankful that You love us so much. Amen ~robin
