Blessing

Isn't it amazing when the same topic comes up over and over in your life...as if God is shouting from heaven, "Pay attention to this!" That's what has been happening to me lately with regard to blessings. I had a conversation with a friend recently that got me started thinking about it. We were talking about how it's hard to hear someone say "God has blessed me" in a certain area when we are struggling in that area or have not been given the same gifts. As I pondered how wrong it is to envy other's blessings, I heard a great story on a Christian radio station about Franny Crosby. She wrote many hymns that we sing today. Among them is "Blessed Assurance," which happens to be Jackson and Isaac's favorite right now. Franny Crosby went blind when she was a baby. Do you know what her perspective on it was?

It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me. If I had a choice, I would still choose to remain blind...for when I die, the first face I will ever see will be the face of my blessed Saviour.

I love the last part, that the first face she will see will be her Saviour's. She saw what others considered to be a loss and a tragedy as a blessing! Hardship, struggle, and tragedy are all around us in this life. I long for Christ to return and take us home. But for now, I pray that I will be able to see all the blessings that God bestows even in the hard times (maybe especially in the hard times). I have certainly been blessed in this life with many wonderful things. But by far, the greatest gift I have been given is God Himself.

Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.

This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.