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Mixed Blessings

 I cannot number the blessings the last few weeks have mounted in my life. So many things that only God could have orchestrated. Many of the blessings, I didn’t even have the wisdom to ask Him for, yet He poured them over me. Safety, business transactions just in time, and so much more.    

Amid all the blessings there was one heartbreaking, incomprehensible, unexpected, and sad experience. What do you do? How do you respond? Like Job told his wife, In Job 2:9-10:  His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!” He replied, “You are talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”  I must admit that Job’s response is the only response for a true follower of God. If you know God at all, you know that He is full of mercy, wisdom, and strength. Though He alone has the power to do what only He can do, we alone must trust Him.

Knowing the right response and easily having the right response does not come as naturally to me as it does to Job. I need to walk through some spiritual gymnastics to gain the ground to trust God with the good and the trouble. However, when I get my mind off the trouble and onto the goodness of God, I find the motivation to accept my foolishness in thinking that I could possibly know more than God. The trouble as I see it, may be just the right remedy to our future.

I come back to my senses when I accept the goodness of God and His amazing mercy in my salvation alone. I did mention all those blessings that flooded into my life at the same time I had the troubling experience. God didn’t need to soften the blow with all those blessings, but He did. It is enough to know that the trouble I am facing has nothing to do with my own or others eternity. In fact, the trouble makes me appreciate the greatness of my salvation. I don’t like the troubles of this world, but I’m so happy to be assured that the troubles of this life are only for this world. Troubles have their limitations in the life of a Christian. I am a fool when I cannot trust God with my troubles.

I titled this week’s devotion—Mixed Blessings—because in my own limited view of my life I think I would prefer to not have this trouble even if it would mean that the other situations didn’t work out. But who am I to know that had I not had my safety, my health, my business transactions, etc. that I would not be more burdened by them than I am by the trouble I experienced this week without warning. I don’t know. I do know that a fool doesn’t trust God. If I want to be wise, I need to lay down the burden of not trusting in God’s goodness in this situation. I also need to be wise in thanking God for all those undeserved blessings that came into my life.

Any blessings are much undeserved. All troubles are limited to this earthly life for those who accept God’s great salvation. I will receive my blessings, and cry over my troubles all the time trusting that God is all wise and knows what is absolute best for me.

 

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