Blessings

"Whenever you get a blessing from God, give it back to Him as a love gift. Offer the blessing back to Him in a deliberate act of worship. If you hoard a thing for yourself, it will turn into a spiritual dry rot, as the manna did when it was hoarded. God will never let you hold a spiritual thing for yourself; it has to be given back to Him that He may make it a blessing to others."

—Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest

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It’s easy to list the blessings in life: good health, family, a satisfying career, a comfortable home. We might even be thankful for things others take for granted such as freedom and clean drinking water, reliable transportation and food enough to eat. Then there are the little things, such as gardens, sunrises, pets, and coffee.

But what about life’s storms or unanswered prayers? Should we be thankful for these? Loss and hardship remind us of our dependence on God. He uses trials to draw us closer to Him, to show us that He is our rock and refuge. In misfortune and grief, we discover God’s comfort and strength. Should we not, then, be thankful for the storms, too?