Take Your Blessing

Have you ever been through a situation that tested your faith and trust in God? I’m pretty sure we all have at some point in our lives if not several times in our lives. I had car trouble not too long ago, leaving my family in a financial bind! My youngest son and I had traveled to Norman on a Friday morning for his baseball tournament. After his first game, we went to get something to eat. On our way back to the field, my car started to overheat. I dropped my son off at the field for his game, then called my husband to tell him what was happening. I noticed an auto parts store by the field, so I drove there and had an employee help me check my fluids. I had just gotten my oil changed, and they always top my fluids off, so I didn’t think that would be an issue but that was the first thing I thought to check. My fluids were exactly where they needed to be. I called my husband to let him know, and we decided it would be best to take my car to a shop to get checked out. Luckily, we had bought an extended warranty on my car, so we hoped that whatever was wrong would be covered. A few days passed, and we got a call from the shop to let us know they had a diagnosis for my car. It had a blown head gasket!!!!

Standing on the Promises

Now, the Amy I knew a few years ago would have immediately started worrying, wondering how on earth we would pay for this repair. We are a family of six with 3 teenage boys and a college student living at home. We are definitely in the lower-middle class category, and we live paycheck to paycheck. How will we cover a repair of this magnitude with no money in our savings account and just enough money in our checking account to make it through the next week?

This time, I didn’t. I stood on his promises. “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19 NIV My first question to the shop representative was, “Does my warranty cover this?” He assured me that it did, but it wouldn’t cover the entire cost of the repair. The entire cost of the repair would be $4000 but we would have to pay $1000. That’s a lot of money for a family of our size and our income. Yet, I still didn’t worry. I had faith that God would provide a way for us to pay for this repair. I had no idea who, what, when, where, why, or how, but I knew He would make a way. I didn’t worry, I didn’t get anxious. I believed, and I trusted. The representative had to get our approval before proceeding, and I calmly told him to go ahead with the repair. Not an hour went by when my husband called me to tell me that he would have all the money we needed to pay for our portion of the repair by the end of the week! Praise God!

When I first reflected on this experience, I thought to myself, “Man, I’m not a very good Christian. I didn’t say one prayer asking God to help us with this situation.” But then God spoke to me. He said, “Remember the woman with the issue of blood? She didn’t say a prayer asking for healing. She had so much faith that I could heal her that she just reached out and touched my son’s garment. She reached out and Took Her Blessing. Her faith made her whole.” Her story is found in Matthew 9:20-22, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:43-48.

Taking Your Blessings

Now, you may be wondering how to reach out and take these blessings. Jesus isn’t physically here for us to touch like he was for the woman with the issue of blood. Luckily, we have a book full of words to instruct us on life. Here are a few verses to help you reach out and take your blessing.

1 John 5

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

Notice that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. If we ask for things that don’t align with his word, he isn’t going to grant them to us for our own benefit and safety. That’s how much he loves us. As parents, we wouldn’t give our children anything that wouldn’t prosper them or benefit them. It’s the same with God, only on a higher scale. So make sure that the blessing you are asking for aligns with his word.

Mark 11: 23

Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go throw yourself into the sea,”and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.

In this verse, Jesus is speaking directly to his disciples. Take note that Jesus says you can’t have doubt in your heart when you are speaking. You have to believe that what you are saying will happen. That Faith in your heart can move mountains.

Mark 5:34

He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

In this verse, Jesus is speaking directly to the woman with the issue of blood. When she touched the hem of his garment, Jesus felt the power leave his body. That’s how strong her faith was. She knew Jesus could heal her so she reached out and took her blessing.

God’s blessings are right there, waiting for all of his children. They are sitting right in front of us. All we have to do is reach out in Faith and receive them. Our Faith can heal us. Our Faith can fill that financial void. Our Faith can bring that loved one to know Christ. Our Faith can MOVE MOUNTAINS. Jesus left us the most powerful tool when he died on the cross. We received his power through the blood he shed.