Blessings of a Different Sort

It’s pretty common these days on social media to see blessings being passed along that talk about good fortune, financially or relationally, coming your way. 

But there’s a blessing of a different sort that’s far better. 

That is the blessing of having the Lord walk beside you in good times and bad.  Never leaving, nor forsaking you.

It’s the blessing of having faithful friends come alongside you in prayer and help you when you are in need.

It’s the blessing of a friend, picking up the phone and just listening as you share your concerns.

It’s the blessing of a friend who gives you a hug in the parking lot and says she’ll pray for you and wipes your tears away.

It’s the blessing of a friend that you don’t know about who lifts you in prayer when the Lord burdens her heart for you.  But the Lord knows and hears her prayers.

It’s the blessing of picking up the Bible in the middle of the night when you can’t sleep and you read through David’s Psalms and receive comfort for your soul.

It’s the blessing when you need godly wisdom and you call your Pastor and he guides you to the Book, The Bible, and you hear from God how you should respond to that hurt of offense or when your children or marriage is in trouble.

It’s the blessing when your husband holds you close in the middle of the night and lets you cry and share your hurting heart.

It’s the blessing when you lose a loved one to cancer and in the midst of your grief you are comforted to know with confidence that you will one day see them again.  In that place where there is no more sorrow, sickness, pain, suffering or death. 

It’s the blessing when you realize you’ve really blow it big time and you go to your heavenly Father and confess your sin.  You repent and know with confidence the Lord God has forgiven you because of Christ and He will help you to walk in a manner worthy of your high calling.

It’s the blessing you receive when the Lord redeems the trials, sorrow and pain you’ve experienced and allows you to come alongside someone else and comfort them as you’ve been comforted. 

It’s a different kind of blessing that comes from God.  He has told us that in this life we will suffer persecution, trials and tribulation.  But we can be of good cheer for He, Jesus Christ, has overcome the world.

Let’s be honest, those other “blessings” don’t really come true. 

What kind of blessing do you need tonight?  Ask the Lord.

What Defines You?

Does your sin define you?  Or does your repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, who died to save you from your sin, define you?

From Outside In

Depression is my name

I’m otherwise known as the blues

I quietly slip in

Sometimes unnoticed

Before long I consume a person’s life

From the outside in

Soon the person you love

Seems to have slipped away

Consumed within themselves

Unable to express their all-consuming pain

Their world has shrunk

From the outside in

All hope seems to be gone

For they can’t see beyond

Help can only come from the Compassionate One

In faith pray without ceasing for the one you love

For only God can break depression’s chains

From the outside in

by Susan Wachtel

January 8, 2016

This may seem like a dark way to start the New Year, but I felt led to write this poem after seeing someone struggle with depression.  I want to bring hope to those who feel helpless as they watch a loved one’s world shrink.  Truly God can break those chains and restore hope.