From our current series, Upside Down Kingdom Devotional from The Sermon on the Mount, the first message is about blessings. So many times you hear the saying “it was a blessing in disguise”. What does that actually mean? It typically refers to something that at first appears to be bad or unlucky but actually turned out to be a good thing. For instance, a car that broke down a few feet from a train track probably caused a person to be late for work. Moments later, the railroad gate mechanism failed at the same time a train was approaching. The car breaking down went from a terrible inconvenience to a potential life saver, hence, a “blessing in disguise”. There are many other sayings about events in life such as, “it just wasn’t meant to be” or “when one door closes, another door opens”. In all of these sayings, someone had an experience where the end result was something positive or good that was directly related to what at first seemed like was an omen, so they feel like the experience was the blessing. Sometimes they even question it.

When you turn to your faith for answers in the “why’s” or “how’s” of it, you will find that blessings are not always what they are perceived to be. We can see how the car situation would be perceived as a blessing. The real blessing is more of the purpose that can come out of that situation. Maybe that near death experience gave the driver time to reflect and find a purpose to give back to be a blessing to someone else. I’ve always taught my children that when bad things happen, find the blessings. Blessings are not material things; they are actions of faith, and they serve a greater purpose than waiting to be received. Go out and be a blessing!

Blessings,
Marcia Gibney
Director of Recreation Ministry