3. Hide in the blessings of why I am here in the first place. Here is a simple answer because God wanted me here to help carry out his mission. God has blessed me with gifts and talents that no one else has.That’s my special Blessing unique to me. And it is incredible to behold.
But underneath. God has also blessed me as he has blessed everyone around me with a “sacred underneath” “we are all made in His image and Likeness.”
Now with these two blessings interwoven I live my life doubly blessed, to do this mission God has invited to share with him
In living this calling I build the kingdom entrusted to me. It is my part of the Body of Christ. When I do what I am sent to do, I complete redemption and become holy. Wow! That’s a blessing to hide in for sure.
Think about this. And what a blessing it is. Great big God. Enormous God. Who has a desk full of stuff to do. Who receives requests from all over the created world. This great big God who is everywhere all the time. Wants me! Encourages me! Even though he knows my silliness, spills and stumbles. He still blesses me with my life to help him. We can certainly hide in a blessing like this. This kind of blessing is like a big, fluffy comforter we pull up to our chins on a damp, chilly day and feel and allow its warmth and coziness to fall all over. If this thought is not a blessing to hide in I don’t know what is!
Pope Francis spoke to our uniqueness and our common identity in God when he said recently
I have a dogmatic certainty: God is in every person’s life. God is in everyone’s life. Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if vices, drugs or anything else destroys it—God is in this person’s life. You can, you must try to seek God in every human life. Although the life of a person is a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow. You have to trust God.”- Pope Francis, interview with La Civilta Cattolica Sept. 30, 2013
4. Hide in the Blessing of knowing we have a Compassionate and Caring God.
Hide in a blessing of a God who knows all about our sorrows and losses.
Jesus showed us a life and mission of suffering service. He bent over and washed feet and liked it so much he asks each and every one of us who follows to learn to do the same. “Go and do likewise”
When Jesus saw pain whether it be the external sores or the inner feelings of isolation of a leper; the weeping widow who’s only son passed away; or the sadness of the young man who because of his many riches walked away from Jesus instead of towards him, Jesus felt the pain of all. They needed his gift “life to the fullest.”
Jesus, the incarnate God, showed us He knew about broken hearts, broken dreams, even the rejection of watching the Jewish people walk away from his message. Jesus human side never shrunk from the internal pain or the hardship of following his Father’s agenda. He kept his sights on going to Jerusalem and dying, so that we can one day go home to His Father. Jesus showed God’s love in spite of the sadness it held within. This is our God today. This is our great blessing that we have a God who knows the deep feelings of the loss of a dear one, or the helplessness we feel when we cannot help someone , who has to suffer alone.
We are blessed with such a God. In our times of sorrow and loss, pain or grief we can hide in this blessing. Our God understands and wants to help get us through our pain.
That’s a wonderful blessing to have a God who walks among us-and understands. Simply said, God resonates with our pain. He doesn’t like pain. He would never inflict pain on us. This is not our God’s way.
But when pain arrives, and it does, and it often lingers, our God still takes pity, still showers his compassion on our wounds. He does this no matter where these wounds are, the legs or the heart, Jesus “takes pity,” and tries to correct it. Who cannot hide in this great blessing of having a loving merciful God who understands?
5. Hide in our blessing of faith, our great gift from God.
Faith is a blessing, which sees our everyday life with a different focus. We see our world through Jesus’ words, His promises and love for us. Faith brings close that far reaching horizon we cannot see and whispers, those ever present words like “salvation, freedom, forgiveness, begin again, ” all ingredients of God’s love.
When we hide in our blessing of faith we bring light to the dark corners of our world, and moods, brightening them with the hopeful attitude inspired by God’s unstoppable love. It is a always good to hide in our blessing of faith.
Faith also shows how patient God is when it comes to the progress of our conversion journey. Romano Guardini writes “God responds to our weakness with His patience and this is the reason for our confidence and hope.” Thank God for this patience!
As we travel our lives, we ebb and flow with good times and our not so good times, God loves us nonetheless and waits for conversion moments. What God is so good about is that he is patient with all the twists and turns, the trip us, the drama of our many conversion moments. He doesn’t rush u through, but simply waits , and walks to our pace.
Why? God sees always the big picture of our journey, and doesn’t measure us by our last mistake. He keeps the whole journey before him. He knows where we are heading, and with each step in that direction he rejoices.
But God also realizes that it is a slow process. We take two steps, and slide back five. However patient God simply walks with us applauding when we get it right, and urging us forward when we lag. He doesn’t give up, nor should we. God blesses us with his patience. Why would we not Hide in our blessing of faith, our great gift from God?
These are wonderful gift of God’s blessings. And there are many more you can find if you searched your own journey. Our basket of blessings overflows and each day new blessings are added. They are there for our use. Find them and use them. With each blessing remembered and used our joy increases for it brings God nearer.
God’ hands , heart, feet and fingers are all revealed through his blessings. Find time on your journey to “Hide in our Blessings. ” For in these hidden quiet moments, we can watch God’s abundance sparkle.
Count your blessings name them one by one
Count your blessings see what God hath done
Count you blessings name them one by one
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done
Rock Bottom Blessings Karen Beattie (old church hymn)