Count your many blessings

I was browsing through my itunes library today and stumbled upon an old friend. I decided to listen to sir Caedmon and his Call, and in doing so, found such a pearl of wisdom in a tiny lyric.

"But I get turned around, I mistake my happiness for blessing."

How often do I feel so "blessed" when I am happy, and feel loved? It's so easy to feel the blessings when I'm standing in sunshine and surrounded by the people I love. It's so hard to imagine anything being a blessing when I'm walking through a dark valley in my life. All I can see is the unhappiness that I am surrounded by. Isn't it interesting to think that some of the biggest, toughest situations in our lives are actually blessings?

The day that Elijah was born comes to mind. I could not have imagined then that going through that dark day was actually a very huge blessing. Not just in the tiny life that God gave me, but I watched as the darkness of that situation touched the lives around me. Over the last few years, God has dried my tears and has healed the wound that was ripped open and bleeding that day. He's allowed me to see the beautiful patchwork quilt of different people, experiences, and stories of his faithfullness, his presence and ultimately his gift of eternal life all because of my really bad day. I would not have known it then, but in my unhappiness, there was such blessing.

Is there something that you are walking through right now that is dark? Do you feel like there couldn't possibly be anything good that comes out of that darkness? You might not feel it right now, you might not see it for a while but it really is possible for there to be some good that comes out of your darkness. How strange to think that there is blessing even in unhappiness.