Do you enjoy the gift of true blessedness?
Do you consider yourself blessed? If you think blessed equals happy and having what we want, then I guess most probably your answer is NO.
But what I’ve learned in my life full of multiple losses, disappointments, grief and a myriad of unmet expectations is that I had a wrong definition of happiness.
Here is a sneak peek of my guest post for A Child Shall Lead Them Blog about the meaning of true blessedness.
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The Gift of True Blessedness
I remember one particular moment when the realization that I am truly blessed abundantly by the Lord finally imprinted on my neural pathways.
Blessed, despite everything I lacked in my life.
Blessed, despite my unfulfilled longing to become a biological mother.
Blessed, despite the exhaustion and battle scars from an intensive 5-year period of wrestling with God, and wrestling with my husband.
Have you asked yourself why we wrestle with God? The essence of our wrestling is that we want somehow to bend Him to our will, to manipulate Him to do what we want or expect in our own terms and time.
We want Him to serve us, often treating Him like our genie in the bottle, and we get angry and upset when He does things we don’t want and don’t understand. We demand answers and explanations.
Wrestling with God – a Preparation for Blessings
God welcomes these wrestling matches because He knows how perverted our fleshly thinking is. He restrains His power and gently touches us here and there to bring the needed change and transformation reflecting reality. Wrestling is one of the ways He prepares us to receive His blessings.
The truth is, He is God and we are just human. We are there to serve Him, not the other way around. He is the One, asking the questions, not us.
Wrestling with God allows us to die to ourselves, to our ways, and will, and to learn to surrender and humble ourselves under His mighty hand. Because this is the path leading to trusting Him and being truly blessed by Him.
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8, NIV)
Blessed.
True blessedness is a gift from God tied to His constant presence and love. It is not tied to our ideas, desires, outcomes, circumstances, roles, achievements, failures, or losses.
True blessedness is a gift from God tied to His constant presence and love. #blessings #happiness #satisfaction Share on XHead on to A Child Shall Lead Them Blog to read the rest of my story of finding true blessedness amid life’s most challenging situations.
More Helpful Resources for You
If you need more resources and encouragement to strengthen your faith and help you see God’s blessings in your struggles and hardships, I highly recommend these books. Check them out.
Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings by Hadassah Treu
Mining for God’s Gold in Life’s Dark Valleys by Margaret E. Head
Extinguishing the Spirit of Fear: 30 Devotions to Battle Fear and Anxiety by Devotable
Before You Quit: Everyday Endurance, Moral Courage, and the Quest for Purpose by Doug Gehman
Trusting God in All the Things: 90 Devotions for Finding Peace in Your Every Day by Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk
Women of Courage: A 40-Day Devotional by (In)Courage
Make Up Your Mind: Unlock Your Thoughts, Transform Your Life by Denise Dubois Pass and Michelle Nietert
Transforming Your Thought Life by Sarah Geringer
Life Can Be Good Again by Lisa Appelo
It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way by Lisa Terkeurst
The Book of Comforts by Hadassah Treu
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Your Turn
What is your definition of true blessedness? Share in the comments and on social media if you found this article helpful. Thank you!
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The gift of true blessedness is something we all need to have in our lives. A lovely read indeed!
Thanks, Hari! I am glad you enjoyed reading it. Blessings to you!
I believe that (despite a lot of things happening in my life) that I am very blessed. And it helps that my middle name (Ngozi) means blessed in Nigerian:-)
Thanks, Gina! It is wonderful to have such a lovely middle name!
Thanks so much for sharing about true blessedness. Your insight is always so inspiring and encouraging.
Thanks, Crysti! I am glad you found the post inspiring and helpful. Blessings!
Thank you for this post about the gift of true blessedness. I never thought much about whether or not I’m wrestling with God, but I do know that I’m blessed by His love for me and His presence in my life. Thank you for helping me reflect on that.
Thanks, Lisa! I am glad you found this post thought-provoking and inspiring. Blessings to you!
What a wonderful message about walking in God’s favor and blessing, friend! Thank you for this!
Thanks, friend! I am happy it inspired and blessed you.