Can you think of anything that may be considered a blessing to someone and curse to someone else? Weather for instance, the farmers need the rain, but what if it is your wedding day when God decides to send it? It could be a bummer for the bride, but an answer to prayer for the farmer. When I was a little girl we had a tornado tear up our house. It wasn't as bad as some of the devastation we saw this year in NC back in April, but our house was not livable. My mother always looked at it as a blessing from God. Others would have probably viewed it as a curse, but not my mom. She was thankful everyone was ok (including all our farm animals) and we were able to rebuild in the same spot. Our 120 year old farm house was lacking some amenities we were able to get with the new house, like AC and a dishwasher! The tornado brought a chance for a new house!
Growth in the church, comes to mind also. What? You might be thinking I am crazy. But, seriously, think about it. With growth comes more people, which brings more opinions, which brings more disagreements, which brings more division. Growth can be overwhelming for some people who are more comfortable in the small church setting. Growth means new facilities might be needed, and I know of quite a few churches that have had huge falling outs over building a new property. Yet, the growth can also mean more friends, more fellowship, and more souls for Christ.
Job loss can also be viewed both ways. I know this is a tough subject these days. Here in NC we hit 10% this week of unemployment. We have to possess a great amount of faith to get through the trials that come from loosing a job. We have to fully depend on God (which we always should do) to supply our every need. We have been promised he will in Phil 4:19 "But my God shall supply all your need..." It can help develop such a sense of trust. I know in the case of my father, after a layoff from a company he had worked for over 20 years, God provided a job that he loves so much. It was a job he never might have pursued otherwise. It was a blessing in disguise.
Have you heard that saying before, "blessing in disguise". God is good at giving us those. Something we think is only going to harm us, turns out to be a blessing. It is only by God those things happen. I was so upset after my transcript got lost at the university and I was put in the wrong English class, only to meet the love of my life because of that mistake! A blessing in disguise! God knows what He is doing! In Duet 23:5b we read "but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee." I truly felt that was the case when it came to my lost transcript!
The Israelites were given the choice to choose a blessing or a curse after they possessed the Promised Land. Moses tells them in Duet 11 that they can choose, "A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord..." in verse 27 or "a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord..." in verse 28.
What would you choose? A blessing or a curse? "Duh" might be the appropriate response here. We all want the blessing. I am sure in the moment of Moses' speech, everyone in the audience was thinking, "I am not going to serve any other gods or disobey, look at where we have been for 40 years because of disobedience." But, yet they disobeyed time and time again. Over and over, they turned their backs on God. They were rebellious and stubborn.
Today's Verse
"That they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments." Ps 78:7
Are you rebelling or being stubborn? Are you looking at the situation you are in right now and thinking it is a curse from God? Are you longing for relief? Think of all the things He has done for you. Salvation alone should put a smile on your face. As our verse says, set your hope in Him, never forget what He has done for you, and obey Him. Try to find the blessing in every situation. I promise there is one. Look for that glimmer of a blessing in every curse.
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