When I think of blessings, I immediately focus on the good things that I would like God to bestow on me and mine. I ask for my loved ones to come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior. I ask for our ministry at Stoneybrooke to flourish. I ask for His favor on projects. I pray for the health of those I care about. I ask for His blessings so that life is a bit more pleasant or bearable for those around me.

And certainly there is nothing wrong with those kinds of prayers. We are told over and over again in scripture to bring our requests to God because He indeed cares for us (I Peter 5:7). Those prayers are indicative of a loving connection with the God of the universe. We have access to Him because of what Christ accomplished on the cross on our behalf. We pray because He told us to. We pray because we need Him in our lives. We pray because it expresses our intimate relationship. We pray because we just plain need His blessings.

But I recently came upon a wonderful song that sets a different and powerful perspective on the whole concept of God’s blessings. It is by Laura Story and it is called “Blessings.”
In part, the lyrics go like this:

“We pray for blessings, we pray for peace, comfort for family, protection while we sleep. We pray for healing, for prosperity. We pray for your mighty hand to ease our suffering. All the while, you hear each spoken need. Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things.

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops? What if your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know you are near? What if the trials of this life are your mercies in disguise?”

I can personally affirm that occasionally His blessings do come through raindrops or tears of frustration. I do know that sleepless nights can refocus our attention and make us realize how near He is. I don’t particularly like that form of blessing, but it is true. God does occasionally disguise His ultimate blessings in temporary pain.

This week you may find yourself in such a season. You are fervently praying for relief from a monsoon of difficulties and instead the steady drip, drip, drip is keeping you up at night. Perhaps you can download Laura’s song and let the music apply some salve to your soul. There is balm for the traumas of life.

Blessings come from the hand of a heavenly Father that wants only the very best for His kids. It’s just that in His infinite wisdom, sometimes those blessings do indeed come disguised. Trust Him; He knows what He is doing.
By His Grace and for His Glory,
Sherry L. Worel