A few weeks ago I wrote about walking through the “blahs” and last week I talked about faith and the battle–neither of these seasons are necessarily times we seek after. However, if we keep steadfast in our walk we will come through those times into a time of rest and grace.
I mentioned that my family has had their share of battles this past while. As they are adults, I want to honor their privacy and not get too specific or personal. I am proud of them and how they choose to stand and see his salvation in each of these challenges. God has answered many of the prayers prayed during this time, and they manage to see his handiwork even in the midst of these struggles.
But life is not always about the hard things, there are seasons of open blessing and favor. A time where you stand back in awe of the manifest goodness of God that sometimes comes our way. About a year or so ago, someone came to my son-in-law, Andrew and gave him an envelope with a thank you card. Along with the card was the gift of a time share week in California. Andrew grew up close to Disneyland, and to him especially, there is no happier place on earth! These people were so grateful for Andrew and Rosanna’s influence in their life and church they wanted to bless them. So the Phillip’s family of five left this past Sunday to travel to southern California. They report a wonderful time, including a visit with his mom.
My daughter Elizabeth and her husband Tim began planning their vacation as well. As they did one of her long time friends offered a week of their time share in the same hotel during the same week as Rosanna and Andrew! So they left early Saturday morning with their four children, stopping and seeing friends and family too. They, too, are sharing some great reports.
Andrew, my son and his wife began to pray as well. They wanted to join with the others and Becca kept looking for places to stay in the Anaheim area. Then they too, were gifted a week in the same time share as the other two!
Andrew Phillips had asked Rosanna to see if I wanted to go too, and stay with them! So my whole family including the nine grand children will be together in the same hotel, sharing experiences together. My son and his family (with me!) fly out today! The blessing of the Lord makes a person rich and he adds no sorrow to it. Proverbs 10: 21 I know some of you reading this may have to employ the scripture rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. For you may be in the season of battle, or blahs and find it challenging to appreciate this blessing and favor our family is receiving.
I recognize this blessing and I am humbled by it. I am grateful I have the strength and energy to enjoy this moment in time with all of my children. It takes faith to receive God’s blessing as much as it takes faith to stand during the storms. I get to go because of the blessing of my children’s friends!. Isn’t that remarkable? Andrew Phillips was a blessing, so he received a blessing that his whole family received and it started a chain reaction in my family! I am so blessed because they want me to join them.
I know what it is to stand-off and watch others do things that you never thought you would be able to do. At times, I admit, it was with a green eye of jealousy and a bit of pity for the poor me. God eventually convicted me and showed me a better way. I was acting like the elder brother of the prodigal son. Mad because I did not get the party. What a childish attitude. Learning to truly rejoice freely when others are blessed takes maturity and trust in our bountiful Father.
If you find yourself in such a place, I challenge you to pray. You may have not, because you have not asked (James 4:3) It may not be this particular blessing that provoke jealousy, but it may be something else. It could be large or small. Envy and jealousy can be provoked over some pretty small things (trust me, I know!) Take those thoughts captive. God is no respecter of persons. He is such an amazing God. My thoughts used to be so small. I had to enlarge my understanding of how good a God he is, and how he desires to bless us with the desires of our hearts, in order to really truly rejoice with those who rejoice. I had to accept his love, and that blessing and favor was mine simply because he loves me. To be honest, sometimes I did not even know what I desired, so I could not even ask. He desires to bless your marriage, your family and even just yourself. He delights in blessing us.
It is difficult in some ways to go on this trip knowing people are still suffering from Hurricane Houston’s disaster and the impending hit of Hurricane Irma, so we go in prayer for them and trust and faith our good God has a plan and we trust him.
Faith Encounters 