The Privilege of Blessing

Privilege of blessing

By Marion M. Pyle –

Suddenly, fall is here. Overnight the air is crisp, skies are gloriously blue, and it’s time to again drape the heavy comforter over our beds.

We’re now officially in the home stretch for 2015. Thanksgiving reservations, menus and plans have taken center stage and even Christmas decorations are already glistening from store shelves.

fall scents for your home

The change of season triggers musings and memories for all of us, some warm and pleasing, others heavier to the soul. As Ecclesiastes 3:1 reminds, these transitions are all part of God’s divine design:

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under heaven. 

It is healthy and God honoring to dedicate deliberate moments to pause, reflect and acknowledge the blessings over our country and also God’s faithfulness throughout the year’s triumphs and tribulations.

British preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, Christians should not only give passionate thanks-giving, but also thanks-feeling, thanks-living, and thanks-speaking. I would also add thanks-singing!

Richly Blessed

Are you a child of God? Have you accepted Jesus as your Savior? Then, your past, present and future sins have been hurled as far as the east is from the west; you stand forgiven and beloved by your Creator; you have transitioned from the cruel kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of blessing; you have a new family, received spiritual gifts and inherited a new destiny. Can you sing halleluiah?

a privilege blessingDo you own a Bible? You are more blessed than over seven billion people in the world.

Do you have a roof over your head, something to drink and food to eat? Feeding America announced that, today, one in seven people face hunger in the U.S. FeedingAmerica.org. The United Nations Food and Agriculture.org. reports one in nine people suffer from chronic malnutrition worldwide.

Can you read? Over 21 million girls in the world have no access to education and suffer from severe social and economic disadvantage Unicef.org .

Are you free to be a Christian and worship God publicly? You have been gifted with the blessing of freedom while persecution of believers in more than 50 countries has reached historic proportions OpenDoorUSA.org

Power to Overcome

a privilege of blessingIf you find yourself today in discouraging your circumstances, remember that your Heavenly Father has chosen to place you in the free world with access to more resources and opportunities than three quarters of the planet. Even more specifically, His Word instructs you to rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.” (I Thess. 5:16-18). This instruction is not a call to denial of your difficulties; it is, rather, a reminder that that you serve a God who is bigger than your problems and His power to work in your circumstances is activated through your faith, prayer and praise.

We begin to be more than conquerors by focusing on our blessings, from the smallest to the large, not on those things we have lost or that we lack. Stress suppresses the immune system and dwelling on the negative will not only usher in depression, but any manner of illness. Negativity also gives the enemy of your soul permission to torture and oppress you. (Naturally, if we are talking about the loss of a loved one, the grieving process is a deeper journey altogether.)

Take up your authority in Christ! Believe the promise that He will cause all things to work together for your good. (Romans 8:28) Put off thoughts of defeat and put on God’s promises over your life and circumstances. Believe them, declare them when the waves of doubt and fear threaten to wash over you, trust them, asking God to help you with your unbelief! These are divine strategies to “move your mountains.” Remember that it is not the size of your faith but who we have faith in that makes all the difference. It is never too late to begin! Job’s life was even more blessed in the second half than in the first. What is God promising you today in your circumstances?

A Wrenching Test of Faith

a privilege of blessingIn 2012, when my husband was diagnosed with a deadly form of bladder cancer and given less than five years to live, we felt terrified and confused. Traditional medicine said there was no hope, but refusing defeat, we researched intensely and began a regime of alternative, non-toxic, immune boosting treatments. It was one of the most ferocious battles I have ever faced. We had to defy conventional predictions, stand on God’s promises for deliverance and healing, and persevere without wavering. 

In 2013 my husband was declared cancer free. He continues to live in complete health to this day.

This experience taught me how to focus on God’s Word in the face of overwhelming opposition. It made me a warrior for Christ in the swamplands of fear and despair. It showed me how to trust Jesus with parts of my life that had never been tested. It demanded that I acknowledge His blessings in every single day and find hope in God’s goodness even when we could not “see” victory with our naked eyes. It taught me that faith is a choice and how to radically persevere.

In the end, God “worked out” our pain and suffering and transformed it into blessing. “What the enemy meant for evil, God meant for good” (Genesis 50:10). Today, our book “Healed, Healthy and Whole, How We Beat Cancer with Integrative Therapies and Essential Healing Strategies” (www.healedhealthyandwhole.com), as well as our monthly seminars, newsletter and other initiatives have become a ministry of healing for thousands of people all over the world.

Thanksgiving Season

This Thanksgiving season, whether your circumstances are pleasant or challenging, remember that you are privileged to live in this great country, you have a loving Shepherd who laid down his own life so you might live reconciled to God, and that every day, if you look for them, you will find dozens of reasons for which to be grateful. Proverbs 17:22 tells us, “A cheerful heart is good medicine,” and as pastor John Piper reminds us, God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. Never give up, rejoice in the Lord always and embrace the privilege of His blessings! Happy Thanksgiving!

 

Marion PyleMarion M. Pyle is an author, speaker and seminar leader. She is also an award-winning writer, producer and television host with acting experience in film, television and theater in the U.S. and Australia. For speaking engagements or to host a Healed, Healthy and Whole seminar in your area, please contact Marion at (www.healedhealthyandwhole.com).

 

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The Privilege of Blessing
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