Don’t misinterpret your blessings as curses. . .

Over the years, it had almost come to be an expectation. . . get a little money, and something was almost certain to break. . . Income tax refund check came in the mail one day, the next day the water heater would spring a leak, or I would have a car problem. . . or a tooth ache. . . It always happened, and I would curse my bad luck.

Until one day it dawned upon me, that the water heater springing a leak, the day after the tax refund check came in the mail, was a blessing, and not a curse. What if the water heater had gone bad a week or a month before the refund check came, and I therefore didn’t have the money to fix it.

I had this discussion last night with the fellows in the jail. One man was having trouble believing, and I shared some of the many blessings in my life, which were exactly in the same vein as above. . . time and time and time and time again the car would break down, or something else would go wrong in the best possible time and the best location.

Coming back from San Antonio about 3 a.m., the alternator on our car went out just as we crossed the apex of the bridge over the Mississippi River coming into Vicksburg, Mississippi. We were able to coast into the welcome center parking lot, which was right next to a well lit 24 hour Pancake House restaurant. It was a very cool night, but we had bought 12 blankets in Mexico, so we were warm and safe, in the best possible spot. . . We had spent hours traversing the very dark countryside of Louisiana before coming into Vicksburg. . . and that alternator waited until the precise moment where we would be safe and sound.

This happened to me again this morning. I was riding my bike to work, when my chain came off a couple hundred yards from where I work. I tried to put my chain back on, but I just could not do it. Even at work using some tools , I couldn’t get it off, so I took it to the bike shop and there was a problem with my derailleur. One of the tension gears was frozen, and it would cause the chain to come off every time I backpedaled.

Sunday I’m going on the Bike the Bend bike ride with 2 of my daughters, and my granddaughter. If this problem had occurred Sunday, it would have ruined the bike ride for all 4 of us. . . So AGAIN!!!!! Things break. . . and my bike broke, but at the absolutely best possible time that it could have.

I cannot even begin to count the number of times that this has happened. . . I can easily name a dozen instances just like this. . .over and over again I see evidence of God’s hand on my life. . . today, and even more significantly in my yesterdays, when my back was turned to Him. . .

Be sure not to confuse your blessings for curses. . . Yes bad things do occur, but seen with spiritual eyes, often you can look back find the hand of God leading you, guiding you, protecting and helping you, thereby turning what you thought to be a curse into a blessing. . .
I love you my God. . .
Thank you my God for watching over me. . .

Dave