God is faithful. I heard a beautiful woman of God say, “God has kept you alive to let you know he keeps his promises!” When she said that I could have run around the church! I have said time and time again “I believe the word of God!” But the question is does my behavior match my words?
Earlier this summer I received a layoff notice on my job, but the blessing was even though I was being laid off from my current position I would still have a job because the City where I work would be bumping me down to the previous position I held.
Though my mouth said “I know it’s a blessing” my behavior was far from it. I became angry and bitter, resenting the fact that I was set to lose a significant amount of money I began to wallow in circumstance. All the while that I wallowed in circumstance I filled out additional applications for other jobs saying quite forcefully ‘my blessing is on the way!” Literally dismissing the blessings He had laid before me. The question is how in the world did I expect God to bless that? Fussing and refusing to acknowledge the blessing I had, focusing on receiving from God what I thought I should get. Lord Jesus.
Not only did I take the time to purposely walk past my blessing I spoke negative thoughts about the entire decision process that led me to this place. It became sort of a sport for me…laughing at them…while God took pity on me knowing full well I was blocking my own blessing. After all how was it possible I could fiercely praise him for my promotion but when He saw fit to remove the promotion I mocked all of it. Paying some but not all of my attention to those actually walking out the door, those without benefit of having a previous position to return to. Those who were facing mortgages, new marriages, and new births…all I could see was me, me, me, and me again…even though my lips said otherwise…my heart was far from it.
Tears came into my eyes when the Holy Spirit rested on my shoulders and encouraged me to thank God with everything I had inside of me. The Holy Spirit admonished me to thank him for the blessing that lay in front of me—the one I had dismissed.
I thanked God for the job I was being sent to and the one in which He blessed and trusted me with for nearly five years and I thanked him for everything attached to the job I was being sent to. In that moment I understood God had been blessing me the entire time I’d been complaining, because at any point He could have also taken the job I was being sent to simply because I wasn’t grateful, my mouth said I was grateful but my actions were far from it.
Once I praised God and thanked him for his blessings with my whole heart, the millstone I’d placed around my own neck was removed and I prayed to God again, a prayer of thanksgiving and I know he heard me. God the Father left me with this, and I now leave it with you Isaiah 65:24 And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking I will hear.” God keeps his promises Hallelujah Lord Jesus! Read also Isaiah 43
To God be the Glory for the things He has done!
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A great message here. I sometimes miss blessings because they don't come wrapped like I thought they would be...they appear different than what I thought. Our thoughts are not like His and His ways are higher. Blessings my Sister.
