Blessing In Disguise

Count your blessings;

Name them one by one.

Count your blessings;

See what God hath done.

Count your blessings;

Name them one by one.

Count your many blessings;

See what God hath done.

Title: Count your blessing/Author: Johnson Oatman (1897)

This is a hymnal song that teaches us to count the blessings we have. 

A song that can prove to us that counting the blessings that come from God is hard to count one by one. 

Why? Because there are blessings that we can't count.

For the reasons firstly, we can't remember them.

Yes, we receive blessings from God from the beginning of the day and at the end of the night. There are no such things we have that not came from the Lord. 

But if, we write the blessings that we received from the Lord from the beginning of the day through the end of the night, Can we write or recall all of those things? Or we can forget one, two, or even three of those things. 

Yes and yes. We can forget not everything but at least one, two, and even three of those blessings. 

Secondly, we receive blessings that for us it seems not a blessing. 

Yes, you read it right!

We have receive blessings that we can't imagine and accept that it is a blessing! 

A blessing that God let happen to us for us to learn, to improve our characters, and to be matured spiritually speaking.  

I called it a blessing in disguise.

WHAT IS A BLESSING IN DISGUISE?

A person who is in disguise is not or can't easily be recognized. Right?

They are hiding their own identity from other identities.

So, the blessing in disguise is a blessing that we have but can't be recognized because it was hiding from other identities. 

We all know blessing is a thing that we can appreciate the most and an experience that is good, beautiful,  makes us happy, and thankful for the Lord.

Christians and non-Christians shout for joy while saying "God is good all the time!", but when a blessing in disguise they don't even remember to thank the Lord but rather they ask the Lord why they were in that situation.

Here are the tips to recognize the blessing in disguise:

1. It is an experience that comes into your life not because you did something wrong.

2. It is an experience that we don't understand why is happening in our lives.

3. It is also, an experience that we want to overcome and turn that experience into good.

4. It is an experience with an excellent reward after.

For more understanding about what I am talking about, let's sight an example in the Bible who experienced blessing in disguise:

 

1. In the life of Job. (Book of Job)

A job is a man who was a not just believer of God but he also considered a true follower of God. He was considered by God who was doing good in His sight even the people around him are not.

He does everything to please the Lord Job 1:8  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?, Job 2:3  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. 

He teaches his sons and daughter to remember the Lord by doing one of the commandments of the Lord through burnt offerings.  Job 1:5  And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, 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.

In Job's experience, he never cursed nor renounce his love to the Lord, even his wife said Job 2:9  Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die. And believing that what he experiencing comes from the Lord, Job 1:21 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. 

Job 2:10  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. 

Job still believes that the Lord is testing him will turn all things into good. Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. 

At the end of the story of Job (Job 42:10-17), The Lord turned all things into good, even the integrity, confidence of Job.

Job consider three things that we should  apply in our lives when we experiencing blessing in disguise:

1. Job learn to trust and obey God's words.

2. Job considers the Lord as his refuge and strength.

3. Job learns to stay what he believes in, even how difficult the situation is. 

Brethren

Are you in a situation that you can't understand why you were there? 

Because you believe like Job you're doing everything to please the Lord? 

There is nothing you can do about the situation you were in?

If we count the blessings that we receive from the rising of the sun to afterglow, a blessing that is very obviously a blessing from God, we should also count the blessing that is in disguise. 

James said, James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 

TEMPTATION here is not only what we know about temptation like our weaknesses, but is also a problem, bad circumstances, pressure that pushes us to renounce the Lord and put out our zeal-love for the Lord to a cold one. 

Remember, how bad your situation is, you should accept it without a doubt to God. That the God you were serving is with you. Nor believe that the Lord you were serving is in you and ready to help you in your situation and turn it into good.

Blessing in disguise will try you in your weakest point but if you overcome it, it will bring you patience,

James 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.   That will bring you to work perfectly before the Lord, and also you, yourself be perfect before the Lord. James 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 

When you know the blessing in disguise was in front of you, don't make anything that will cause you to sin against God, nor to grieve the Holy Spirit of God.

On how Job did when He experienced blessing in disguise 

1. Job learn to trust and obey God's words.

2. Job considers the Lord as his refuge and strength.

3. Job learns to stay what he believes in, even how difficult the situation is. 

We should also do these things, and all we have, God will restore and established us.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

Letter for my Brethren

I pray whatever situation you were in, your heart be filled with the spirit of obedience and trust in the Lord. Your heart finds refuge and strength from God to overcome your situation. I plead the blood of Jesus to cover you,

in Jesus' name, Amen.