Day 20 -Blessed

Its a lazy Saturday morning and I am thankful for it. My sweet Hopie is down and out today so Kris has slipped away with the other two and has left me with a peaceful home for a few hours. While Hopie rests, I figured I’d get some writing done.

Can you believe its Day 20?

I have to be honest, I’m ready for this journey to be finished. There are many blogs waiting to be written about ballet slippers, toilet paper stuck to walls and many other motherhood mayhem’s -but they will wait for now.

I also have ten million thoughts about Lysa Terkeursts new book: Made to crave. So, other posts are coming…10 days and counting.

This is a commitment and I’m sticking it through.

This morning I’ve been in the book of Luke 6:17-26. Because its longer than some of the other passages I’ve been studying I’m not going to post it here. Instead, I just want to get right to the point.

Question 1 -What does this passage say?

I think a question many followers of Christ have been asking lately is: What does it really look like to follow Him completely?

Blessed means “how fortunate” or “how happy”. We tend to think that being blessed means a life full of joy, happiness and peace 24/7.

But in this passage Jesus really changes things up. He says things like:

Blessed are you who are poor; for yours is the kingdom of God.

Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied.

Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

Blessed are you when men hate you, when they exclude you and insult you.

Why would Jesus say we are blessed “how fortunate” when those things happen?And what does this really have to do with what it looks like to follow Him?

Question 2 -What does this passage mean?

There are people that are going to gain satisfaction by the title they wear, who they are associated with, how much money they make, and how much they accomplish in life.

But the truth is, satisfaction comes from a deep desire to understand out need for God. When we learn to solely depend upon God for every waking breath…something happens inside of us. I think its when we truly discover what the word “blessed” means.

Question 3 -What does this passage mean to me?

I am challenged today to do something that doesn’t come naturally for me. I’ve mentioned before in these posts these corners of my soul where no one goes but Jesus. They are not pretty places. We all have them.

In the areas of my life I’m being challenged right now, its not looking so pretty. There are so many things up in the air right now. I don’t know what the future holds in almost every area of my life. There are some painful areas I’m walking out and there are some moments that have brought small victories.

The challenge that I feel God is placing before me is to look at my challenges as blessings.

Blessed “how fortunate”.

How fortunate I am to experience these struggles because they will ultimately allow me to become spiritually bankrupt -which is exactly where I need to be.