mercies in disguise

Before you read the song lyrics in quotes, scroll down and play the song then scroll back up so  you can read the lyrics as you listen. Yes, I could have put them in order and made it easier for you...but you know computers and I don't get along, so just do the work for me this time! Thanks :)

"We pray for blessings. We pray for peace. Comfort for family. Protection while we sleep.

We pray for healing. For prosperity. We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering. And all the while, You hear each spoken need. Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?

What if Your healing comes through tears?

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom. Your voice to hear. We cry in anger when we can not feel You near.

We doubt Your goodness. We doubt Your love. As if every promise from Your Word is not enough. And all the while You hear each desperate plea. And long that we'd have faith to believe.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears?

What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

When friends betray us. When darkness seems to win. We know, the pain reminds this heart that this is not, this is not our home. It's not our home.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?

What if Your healing comes through tears?

And what if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You're near?

What if my greatest disappointments or the aching of this life, 

is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy?

And what if trials of this life, the rain, the storms, the hardest nights, are your mercies in disguise?"

This song, "Blessings" by Laura Story, is my new favorite.

I had heard it a several times on the radio, but never really got to pay attention to the lyrics.....listening to the radio with my little girls in the car isn't an easy thing because currently they refuse to listen to anything that isn't either Taylor Swift or SonSurf VBS music...what a combination!!

I don't even remember how or why I came across this song last week. But I do remember that I listened to it over and over.

I'm sure I've said this before, but I'll say it again just in case you missed it last time. I believe that so much healing can come from music. I believe that because I have experienced it. God gives such wonderful messages to songwriters. He has blessed them with the ability to reach people in the best and worst of times. Somehow the lyrics of a song can match up perfectly with what I'm thinking and feeling and just can't find the words to say. Or sometimes when I am feeling lost and searching for answers, a song can speak to my heart and I know it was placed in my path for a purpose. And something about hearing those lyrics and singing along with them. I don't suppose it makes sense unless you have experienced it for yourself. But it can provide a feeling of almost relief. It just does something amazing when you finally find the words to say or even hear the words you needed to hear. Song lyrics can carry so much truth and meaning. And that is exactly what I feel about Laura Story's "Blessings."

Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes we have to go through things we don't want to go through. We have to deal with things we shouldn't have to deal with. We have to experience things that are painful and difficult and scary and unfair. All around us there is suffering. The suffering can come in many ways. Sometimes it is easy to spot the suffering, but other times we may never know what another person is going through. The sudden loss of a loved one, difficulty of everything involved in caring for sick family, personal illness, ongoing family illness, disappointment in our personal lives, broken relationships and families, financial difficulties, and on and on.

In my personal experience and in my experience of ministering to others, the common thread in almost all suffering is the question: Why? Why is this happening to me? Them? Us? Why are we having to go through this?

While I don't have the answer to those specific questions, I know who does. God. He is the answer that we seek. Our Heavenly Father sees it all. He is with us through it all. And He has a plan. He has an amazing plan. We can't see past our current conditions. We don't have the ability to think past our present state. But God can. He can see the big picture. He can look ahead and see what is coming. He can use our present to better prepare us for our future.

If we will cling to Him instead dwelling on our troubles....If we will ask Him for strength that we don't have instead of trying to handle things ourselves....If we will give Him the opportunity to work through us and be seen through us....No, we won't find a miracle cure that makes all bad things go away. But we will find is a way to survive those bad things. A way to come through them and be stronger. A way to use our experience to help others. A way to glorify God and find ourselves in a deeper relationship with Him than we ever imagined possible.

When Mr. Wonderful and I lost Baby....for the first time in our lives, we truly felt as if we had hit rock bottom. And when we were lying flat on our back, we had nowhere to look but up. We not only looked up, but we reached up, and we haven't looked back. I won't even pretend it was an easy thing to do. But I will tell you that by trusting Him and looking to Him and begging Him over and over, God has given us strength that I would have never imagined possible. Strength and comfort beyond comparison. 

     

 I know that some people look at us and feel sorry for us because of all that we have been through. They tell us that we are too young to have already experienced so much sadness in our lives. I can see people begin to shift in their chairs because they are so uncomfortable when I talk about Baby and AnnaSue. Some people have even been bold enough to say that because I can and do (and intend to continue to) speak of my babies that I lost, that I am just heartless and cruel and must have not even been upset about losing them. (Those people are just crazy and should keep their opinions to themselves) Well, sure, I could say I wish they had never happened, but I won't. Not now. Not now that I can see what God knew all along. And, honestly, I must say that I almost feel bad for someone who has always had a perfect life and has never experienced anything difficult. It is sad to think that they may not know what it is like to cling to Jesus with everything you have and to completely depend on Him, not only for the strength to get out of bed, but to depend on Him for the strength to take your next breath.

To me, that is what this song is saying. Instead of being upset about our current situations, we should just realize that God is with us through them. And, if we will let Him, He can and will use them to bless us. I found hope, love, and even conviction in this song. I know that God placed it in my path because it was exactly what I needed....because His plan is perfect.

Love and prayers for you all!