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Matthew 5:3 – God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for Him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. (NLT)
At the age of 17, I began working my way through Bible school, cleaning toilets all over campus at 5 a.m. I was shy and seldom off campus, except to run children's programs in a nearby church. One day, I wrote a short note to a co-worker to say that I was unable to meet him the next day, and gave it to his roommate to deliver. Inexplicably, the roommate rewrote it, imitating my handwriting, using lewd and explicit language, to which he signed my name.
My co-worker had no doubt that anyone but me had written the note, which he took straight to the dean. Rather than talk to me, the dean convened a faculty meeting, recommending my expulsion. By grace, the secretary taking notes for the meeting was a good friend, who, horrified, told me what went on. While I was saved by one vote from being expelled, I was taken out of all graduation festivities. The class song that I had written was removed from the official record book. No one ever mentioned it to me or gave me any chance to explain.
I have only recently come to realize how much injustice there is. But everyone whose spiritual life has really spoken to me has had a difficult, often unfair person in their life, causing their faith in God to grow stronger, as their need was greater than their own strength could bear. Discovering a quotation, today's title, "Blessings come to those who notice", changed everything. Now, I automatically look for the blessings when an injustice occurs. Notice what Joseph said to his brothers:
Genesis 50:20 – But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. (NKJV)
Most of the time, we automatically tend to count up resentments, rather than the blessings that we take for granted. When we count the blessings, there is no room any more for complaint, hate, anger, and particularly self-pity.
Prayer: Dear God of our lives, thank You for showering us with blessings often disguised as troubles. Thank You that today's pain is tomorrow's strength, and that even our noticing is evidence of Your help on the journey. Thank You for allowing us to recognize our own personal blessings, no matter how hidden they sometimes are. We are grateful for all the pages of Scripture that sing this truth home to our souls. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
P.S.: As I wrote this devotional, I knew that I had to email the one who had received the note. I had never spoken to him about it in the 57 years since it happened. He barely remembered the event that changed the entire direction of my young life, but because of writing, my note was graciously received and the incident over with, forever.
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Thanks for the good word, Rose.
Rose, thank you for sharing this devotional with us. Praying for you. Blessings.
It sounds like Queens. The cert. Is on the wall. I hope you can forgive those involved.
An incredible story, Rose, and one that I am sure will resonate with many. God bless!
Amen. God is good all the time. All the time God is good. Thanks for another inspiring devotion. Blessings.
To Rose, thank you for today’s devotional. It was exactly what I needed.
Bless you. Cheers.
I would hope today such assumption of guilt would not happen on a college campus, but who knows? You showed grace in contacting the person. And yes, when I feel down, I write a list of my blessings in my prayer journal!
Dear Rose,
What an amazing devotional which will touch a lot of people and hopefully help them to focus on the positive and the blessing. Thank you for sharing.
Dear Rose,
Before reading this devotional, I read a meditation that I forwarded to you and you will probably have read by now. You are wearing that very crown described that all Christians wear thanks to Jesus.
Thanks for sharing Rose. I found seminary a very difficult and unchristian place regarding the majority of the male student’s and even some of the profs behaviours and remarks, but indeed it does make one stronger in and for the Lord.
Blessings.
Hi Rose,
Such a good devotional this morning, there are indeed situations which are beyond our control and as you pointed out so well, quite often they work out for good, but still hard to cope with at the time.
So good that you wrote to the person after all these years.
Thank you for writing.
Good morning Rose,
Thank you for writing this morning devotional. So sorry to hear of the episode you dealt with in your early life and praise to you for how very graciously you handled it. Yes, we need be mindful to be forgiving to others and to ask our Saviour forgiveness of sins we have committed.
Blessings,
(B.C.)
WOW!!! Good for you that you were able to correct things with your co-worker and be done with it. God is faithful and is always there as you very well have experienced.
Thank you for this devotional and all the best.
Thank you and I appreciate it.
God bless.
Dear Rose,
Your sad story about the forged letter to a co-worker touched me deeply!
You have suffered greatly, and I feel pity for the person who could do such a thing as a joke.
I’m happy your faith rose above your problems.
Dear Rose, Thank you for yet another good devotional. In your prayer you thanked God for showering us with blessings often disguised as troubles. When you said “showers” I remembered a saying I once heard long ago “With no rain, no rainbows.” Thanks again!
Dear Rose,
What an interesting true story you shared in the PresbyCan Daily Devotional emails about your experience at 17. Quite an unfortunate and unusual thing to happen to someone. You were so sincere and working so hard to earn money to gain your education.
It is easy to see that you were a very devoted person and very quiet. I know that you just shared with the person who did it about it again and it is all forgiven. I trust that it didn’t affect your life in an ongoing negative way since as you shared very much evil happened to Joseph and he said, “You meant it for evil but God meant it for good!” I also love that verse.
I hope you had a wonderful life and that it was just a turn in the road but one that didn’t stop your love for God or service for him.
May God bless you deeply!