Is Being Blessed Really What We Think It Is?

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I sat at my kitchen table for the upteenth night in a row. The house was quiet, every normal person tucked in their beds and sleeping. I was trying to get another batch of something done whether it was apples, tomatoes, or who knows what else. I wasn’t in the best of moods, if you want the truth. I was getting kind of bitter. Half of me was so grateful for this free food! It was a huge blessing to our family and to our time of little while my husband finishes Seminary school. I thought about how one day, I’ll be really glad that I am learning these skills with free food rather than having to pay out a lot and mess up and waste more money. I reflected so many things, but that other thought kept getting bigger and bigger as I kept working and working into the wee hours of the morning.

It was a huff and a complain (I dare not call it prayer) to the Lord about why He responded to my prayer for provision in this way that cause more and more work and less sleep. I heaved a big sigh. I’m pretty sure I was working on tomatoes since that is what keeps showing up on my doorstep. I talk to the Lord a lot in my quiet moments and this time was no exception. But I work out a lot of things just my seeing my words (journaling) or hearing my thoughts (prayer). Tonight as I was complaining about His blessings, I kept reflecting on a quote from one of my favorite movies, Return to Me: In there “Grandpa” makes a simple but impactful statement,

“I’m blessed with work.”

 

What does blessed even mean? I had this idea that being blessed means we’re given good things and that usually came with something that made my life easier. At least, I was living and acting like I thought that. The former maybe true, but many of us expect the latter when it comes to our blessings. And yes this is how my mind works sitting at my table peeling tomato skins or dicing them up at 1 o’clock in the morning. But when I reflected further, I kept thinking of Ruth and Naomi. Ruth is probably my favorite female biblical character. That woman forsook family and everything she knew to be with her Mother In Law and live a harsh life! And she still had grace and humbleness about her that I will never achieve in my lifetime— as this night proved. Ruth gleaned. As a foreigner, she gleaned for the scraps so that her Mother in Law and herself would live. Can we even truly comprehend? I have people placing food on my doorstep, I am not out scrounging for the morsels dropped and left behind, and I have the gall to complain about a little extra work?

I won’t go into all the details I looked into about what the word Blessed means in the dictionary, online Google search, and scripture references, you are more than welcome to do that. But my first initial search proved a bit disappointing, as it referred mostly to being made holy, a sacrament. But, dear readers, this is where God used that still small voice of His Word to remind me, We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. (Romans 5:3-4 NLT). Our daily life is filled with moments that strengthen us spiritually. I may not be fighting a spiritual battle with tomatoes, but I am fighting one against my natural flesh. If we are to be made holy, as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16), then being blessed is to guide us into that holiness.

This work that I am blessed with, will develop a character within me on being grateful for those kind in heart. This work that I am blessed with will strengthen my knowledge in the skills of using what we have and doing it well. This work that I am blessed with teaches me that “I {am to} look to the ways of my household and not eat the bread of idleness” (Proverbs 31: 27). This work that I am blessed with is a gift from the Lord, for “every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).

I could go on and on and on, but the gist here is, being blessed has a richer and deeper meaning than something we say when we have received something in kindness. It goes into a reflection of who our heavenly Father is and that He is looking out for us. A sparrow does not fall without His knowledge. The lilies of the field have splendor in clothing, and He watches over us much much more. Be blessed, my readers. Be blessed and know that God is watching over it all.

I’m blessed with work.

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