Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Counting Your Blessings?



Ever get to a point in your life
where you feel overwhelmed?
Perhaps with grief, disappointment, heartache?
Surrounded by sadness, failures,

seemingly hopeless situations, etc...?

I found myself there recently.
I realize that when I do find myself there,
it is when my faith is shamefully small.
I loose sight of the almighty God

that I love, serve, and belong to.
But I am glad He is Faithful to remind me.

Yesterday morning, I arose and enjoyed a cup of coffee
with my beloved as we read from the book of Job.
And the Holy Spirit pierced my heart.
A few key verses caught my attention

and stayed in my mind
as I fed from His Truths all the day...

1) Job CONTINUALLY lifted his children

up before the LORD.
(chapter 1, verse 5)
"And it was so, ...
that Job sent and sanctified them,
and rose up early in the morning, and offered
burnt offerings according to the number of them all:
for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned,
and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually."

What a challenge and reminder to this mother...
that I need (must) pray MORE for the hearts of my children


2) When nothing seemed to be going as Job had planned,
when it seemed that he lost all that he had,
and all he knew was falling down around him...
he fell down and worshipped the LORD,
realizing it was the LORD that gave
and the LORD that can take away...
that it truly is the LORD that is in control.
(chapter 1, verses 20 and 21)

" Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head,
and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said,
Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return
thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away;
blessed be the name of the LORD."
What a lesson and reminder for me...
that whatever befalls me, my LORD (Who loves me)
is always in control and is always worthy of worship.
That whatever the circumstances, HE is still the same!


3) That when tempted to curse God and die,
Job realizes that he is not worthy
to expect and receive the blessings of God
or of cursing Him when they do not come.
That God allows what is best for us,
whether we see it good or bad.
(chapter 2, verse 9 and 10)

"Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain
thine integrity? curse God, and die. But he said unto her,
Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh.
What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and
shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips."
What a lesson for this prideful and ungrateful woman...
I, in no way, deserve God's blessings.
Who am I to complain when they do not seem to come?
Who am I to complain when it seems
that I am surrounded by trials?
Who am I to think that I should not suffer at all,
when HE suffered ultimately? Who am I?


As I sat at my dining room table, after my beloved left,
I stared at those precious Words,
thinking, meditating, praying, letting them sink in,
(what gladness that the Holy Spirit does His work!)
I looked up towards the sky (ceiling) trying to understand
how to move through these circumstances
and He showed me a sign... a LITERAL sign...

Hanging there, high on our dining room wall...



Yes, count my blessings.
A sober reminder... and, yet, I still grasped for more.
So He showed me more.

It was another "sign"... a literal one, too.
He showed me my blessings and they were even labeled!
Underneath the "Count Your Blessings" sign
and hanging on the wall in the hallway was this...


The blessings He wanted me to begin counting.

Oh, how I laughed (and cried).
It is a beautiful and precious thing
when we allow Him to speak to us...
whether through obvious signs

or through a still, small voice.

I counted my blessings... still counting.
But, as Job learned, and as I had to accept...
whatever is happening around me...
God is still God...
and I am His and He is mine!
And I can (and will) hope in HIM!
And I will praise Him... not only for what He can do
but I will praise Him for WHO He is!





12 comments:

Valerie said...

Thanks for sharing your heart. I know what you mean, well, I don't know if our circumstances were the same, but I know that feeling of being overwhelmed. God is so good to guide us through each valley we face.
Praying for you ~

Valerie

Sonja A. said...

That was soo beautiful, Christina and just what I needed to hear. I have been feeling that as of late. We just got back from seeing some family we love to pieces but we will not see them for another 2 or longer years. It was soo bitter sweet, and I felt it for the past few days. Then, waiting on our Orders to figure out where we're going, and not knowing, and I like to plan...so a lot of me not having some kind of control over that. (something I struggle with a lot...) And then knowing the new year will bring a move, and my hubby training for 6 months and being without him. The end result of all of that will be, surprisingly good, but right now, I just am sad at all that's going on.

Thank you for your post...and I wish you and yours better days! :)

James, Erica, Eliana and Landon said...

Simply put, but deeply heartfelt...thank you.

Anonymous said...

So many times, I complain and want to give up,yes want...but through your words here I will read about Job and seek Gods Want for me..
I don't express myself well,but Thank-you Christina for your heartfelt words and prayers...Your always in my prayers and I Love and Miss you terribly and wish we could talk and have each others company....I learn so much from you and Ally..It should be the other way around...:}
Big hugs and kisses to my Grandchildren....Love Mom

Faith said...

Oh my, how this post touched my heart! God has used a few people to bring me up out of hopelessness this week, and you are one of them! God is SO good, isn't He? Just wanted you to know, He may have been speaking to you but by posting this He used you to speak life into ME! Thank you!
Blessings, Faith

Anonymous said...

We're living each day with small problems or small sufferings, that WILL go away in time. While we not prefect or know all right answers, God word will give us that strength to get us throught our every day struggles or grief we're going through that little easier. Christina, you were heavily on my mind Monday week ago, which I continued to pray for you all that day. With much love and care,

Melody said...

Christina, thank you so much for posting this - I really needed to read it just now. Thanks for letting God use you today!

Anonymous said...

I needed to here this today. Thank you for sharing :)

Tori Leslie said...

What a lovely post! Thank you for posting this, it was a great encouragement!

Beth said...

Hello! I just discovered your wonderful blog and am looking forward to reading your past posts as time allows! Somehow I linked to and was reading your post "Why Do I Wear Dresses Only" and discovered you. That is something that I am struggling with myself...that decision.
Thank you for your heartfelt blog!
Beth

Mrs. Taft said...

Bless you, what a beautiful post. It ministered to me today.

PlainJane said...

Thank you for sharing your heart and testifying to His blessings - a wonderful devotional! Your friendship is a blessing as well.

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