Blessings…
Another misunderstood anomaly.
Most can easily identify the ones that illuminate goodness and light…
They are everywhere, really.
You don’t need to use too much effort to find them. They stand out- in smiles and good deeds and healthy children. Through wedding days and babies born and graduations. Even the smallest blessings are the biggest at times… those precious moments of revelation, or beautiful words of encouragement or simply a gorgeous radiant sun soaked day. Unexpected hugs, deals, friends…that appear right before us.
Ah- that’s the good stuff, isn’t it?
Blessings…
They shine from the mountaintops of our lives-
The glow is easily seen on the horizon.
Healing.
Laughter.
Forgiveness.
Love.
Relationships.
Dreams.
Safety.
Joy.
And we thank God for all the good.
At least I do.
Everyday.
Because there is a LOT of it.
Everywhere.
But what about the darkness?
Those moments that hit us hard, push us down, and wind us around a twisted mangled mess of circumstances that fray frazzled nerves, break tender hearts or wound weary souls…
Do we dare call those blessings?
Is there actually light there?
I often search for God when I’m standing on those dark edges of life, witnessing someone I love free fall into the dark abyss. I know when I’ve been submerged in hopelessness, I long for evidence of Him too. At times I discover a gift and other times I simply must trust that He is present in the thick of the fog I simply cannot clear. There’s this deep wonder of it all- that perhaps God’s view is so very different from our own, and one day we will understand everything.
Lately, I’ve been listening to this one song over and over again. I do that- when one particular song speaks to me. I have done this my entire life…
It just takes one song to lift me out of my place and take me to another. In it, I can find a freshly revealed source of strength. I remember every one of these ‘chosen’ songs, over the years of life events that screamed for my attention. They mark times that somehow changed me- shifted my life into a new direction or my heart toward transformation.
Oh the power of a song.
Do you do this? I wonder…
The song on my heart during this season of suffering for many I love, is “Blessings” by Laura Story.
Perhaps blessings are different than what we know them to be. Maybe, some of our darkest hours are a blessing in disguise.
Sometimes, it’s just too dark to see.
Yes?
But looking back and seeing what became of those moments~
I realize there are miraculous blessings hidden deep beneath the circumstances that slowly sifted through-
And as the darkness slowly dwindled down to an aching memory, the blessings lived on. I see God revealed in my “thousand sleepless nights” when I felt lost and afraid and hopeless. I found His Purpose in my transformed perspective that brings clarity and confidence in His loving grace. I’ve learned to trust more, that His Goodness is beneath the grief, His Power is beyond the pain, and His Hope rises Higher than the healing.
Perhaps the glow of God shines brightest in the darkness… Much like the moon in the night.
I’m thinking that maybe God does his best work in the dark.
Sometimes when things are wonderfully lit with goodness in our world, we don’t see the shining embers of His Greatness.
Maybe it takes the power of our earthly light to go out, so that He can ignite His Heavenly Light within.
Does it take a black out to recognize the original power source to be revealed? Is it possible that we are often too distracted to be delivered?
Or do we even feel we need to be?
Dare I ask you if you have ever crumbled in despair and called out to God and asked if He was really there? I suppose that’s when we seek God most, because we need something that is beyond or beneath or higher than ourselves. Lord knows that is when I needed a savior most. I mean, who asks to be saved when they feel they don’t need to be saved?
Hmm.
And although at times the darkness seems to overcome and take hold of our lives through trials we endure- if we would dare to discover more of Him beyond, beneath, or higher than ourselves…
Just maybe we too, can see “His Mercies in disguise”.
***
“Blessings”
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
And all the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things
‘Cause what if Your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your word is not enough
And all the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe
‘Cause what if Your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise
When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not,
This is not our home
It’s not our home
‘Cause what if Your blessings come through rain drops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy
What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise
Absolutely beautiful take on this and you may be right that God does indeed do his best and shines his brightest in the darkest of our times. Have to remember this when that is the case here and thanks Chris for giving some much needed food for thought.
Thank YOU for always writing such beautiful heartfelt responses to my posts, dear friend. I’m so grateful for you, Janine!
It’s amazing to be in this link up with you!
Most of what I study, in writing, and photography, and anxiety battles, is about darkness and light. You just can’t have one without the other.
Beautiful post from your beautiful soul!
YAY! I’m starting to slowly get back into this groove. 🙂 I LOVE your insight here, T. That is profound and true. And thanks for your sweetness- It means SO much to me, my friend.
I so do that with songs. Listen to them over and over. Right now, I’m stuck on Sound of Silence by Disturbed. I loved it before I knew it was a “real” song (we sang it at camp), loved S&G and am loving this new version too. I’ve never really thought about how the dark times are also blessings but I think you’re onto something there. XO
I love that song too-both arrangements. Music is incredibly powerful, isn’t it? That’s why I became a registered music therapist, long ago. And I was BLESSED enough to watch it’s power in people who were hurting so much they were hospitalized. Amazing.
I really hate dark times- obviously. BUT, I see many of the truest and purest blessings come from them often. I’m thankful for those, despite the pain.
Love you. <3
Oh yes, there have been many times, when the pain has resurfaced, and I have looked up and asked ‘Are You real?’ He definitely takes us through seasons doesn’t He? Thanks for re-posting this Christine!
Oh so many seasons, Lynn! But I truly believe He takes us through them for reasons we may never know until we meet Him. Sometimes, though- I see so clearly God’s Hand in the darkness- and transformation occurs. <3
Christine, the point you make about darkness sometimes being needed for us to see the light is similar to what I wrote earlier today in a reply to your comment on my blog. I do think that sometimes out of darkness, turmoil, or what appears to be meaningless misery, growth can occur. I’ve seen this on a personal level, and do think it could be what’s happening in our world just now. It’s not always easy to trust that as we go through it though…
Blessings to you!
Oh yes, Yvonne. I absolutely agree! Those hard places are where the greatest growth occurs, I believe. I hope growth happens from all that is happening in our world right now… We need some major growth!
I love what you’ve said here, that sometimes God’s power is felt the strongest through the darkness. We need dark to see the light here on earth – the faintest flicker is what we focus on in the blackest night. Someday, we will all ONLY see the light. It’s a glorious hope. xoxo
It IS a glorious hope, Andrea. Can you even imagine? Ah… Someday. <3 But for now, we'll search for those flickers. They are always there. <3
Oh my goodness that’s a beautiful song. I have never heard it before. I said “Yes” to “I simply must trust that He is present” in the darkness, the sleepness nights etc. Thanks for sharing this again. We can’t be reminded enough about when and how we might receive our blessings.
Oooh, I’m so glad you listened to it Kenya! Isn’t it just beautiful? It truly hits my heart deep, and yes- always good to be reminded to look for blessings in disguise. They are always there. <3
I feel blessed to have finally reached that place of just… welcoming it All! Emotion. Circumstance. Let it all come…. I am Alive!! Each moment, when taken for it’s own merit is something miraculous to me now; for He is in them all. Where once I probably saw trial, struggle and maybe even cursed that thing called “fate” – now I see Opportunity. IDK – I just finally think I have realized what an amazing thing He gave us humans… this thing called FEELS. It’s truly amazing to experience that wide scope and know that He is there through every step.
You know what Leslie? I have totally witnessed you getting to that place and truly BEING in that place… I can honestly FEEL IT! It feels like liberation to me, and I embrace it whenever I am reading your words. It’s WONDERFULLY ALIVE in that place. <3
So wise, friend. This reminds me of a podcast I just listened to. It was about a concentration camp in Japan. The adults started a type of Girl Scout troupe with all the little girls to keep them positive and going. They made a game or song or badge out of everything. The woman they interviewed said, how can you truly be sad when you are always singing? I’m not doing this story justice. But it makes me think of finding blessings in the dark situations.
Oh wow Stephanie, I can only imagine the power of that story and I can see why it came to mind while reading this post! Blessings in disguise, indeed. From the darkest darkness… WOW. Just WOW. (If you think of it, I’d love the name of the podcast!)
I’m glad you republished this post, because I’d not see it before. It is beautiful Chris. And I LOVE the song! I often ask myself the same questions. xoxox Allie
Thanks so much Allie! <3 That songs sticks, doesn't it? Those are good questions to ask... <3
So much truth here, Chris. If we are looking for it, we can see the light of our blessings illuminating the darkness. Perfect post to share for this linkup, and I think it was new to me!
YAY! Glad it was new to you Dana! (lol) I’m so glad you get it, and so grateful you always are so appreciative of my words. That means the world to me, coming from you my friend. <3
Getting caught up here and glad I did. Yes! So many instances I can look back upon, times of darkness, that now give me greater insight to situations before me in the present, more compassion for another going through something similar. The light of life, that illumination we can only truly gain from walking through instead of taking the short cut around the other way.
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12.
Right?
Thank you Christine!
Oh Julie, what a beautiful response to this post my friend. YES, the light of life. <3