Good morning! Has this been a good week? Have you felt full of gratitude? Happy?
If you answer yes (it's ok if it is not), you might be feeling our word of the week: blessed.
Blessed: experience that brings pleasure, contentment or good fortune.
It is so cliche these days to post a picture online or wear a t-shirt that says #blessed. Even if we are thankful for the gifts of relationships or opportunities around us, the use of the word blessed sometimes feels like telling a telling a half-truth. Our lives are complicated. We don't really want to be people who brag either.
But, might there be a way to reclaim blessed no matter our feeling or situation?
I love Kate Bowler's and Jessica Richie's new book, Good Enough: 40ish Devotionals for a Life of Imperfection for its gifts of re-framing stuff in my life that I would never put in the "blessed" category. Like loss, failure and depression. . . .
Here's one of my favorite parts: "A Blessing for When You Realize Everyone is Struggling"
Blessed are you who have realized that life is hard. And it's hard for everyone. Your awareness came at a cost. You lost something you can't get back. You were diagnosed with chronic pain or degenerative disease. Your family fell a part and things have never been the same. Blessed are you who gave up the myth that the good life is one of happiness, success, perfection. The life that looks beautiful on Facebook, but isn't real. . . . Blessed are all of us who struggle, for we are in good company, and we'll never walk alone.
Such words are an invitation to all of us to SEE again our lives as God sees them-- the real, honest, truth of the pain of day-to-day living as a human being living on planet earth.
Because here's the thing: your life can be falling a part (and nothing can feel right) but still the blessing of God can be with you.
To feel blessed is not just for the special. To feel blessed is not about everything being in place. To feel blessed is not about pretending either.
God's gift of presence with us means that blessings are always around. Even in death, even in sickness, even in great loss. Blessings can come even when you have no idea how they are coming or where they are coming from. In fact, I tell you, good can come from the worst parts of your days. Such is the miracle of our faith-- God can take what we think is ugly, useless and worn down and turn into something beautiful.
May you have eyes to see and be blessed this week-
XO
Elizabeth
