Extra Blessings
Despite the ungodly influences of Eli’s sons, Samuel continued to minister before the Lord. Each year Hannah made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband for the annual sacrifice.
Eli would bless Elkanah and Hannah, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home. And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord. (1 Samuel 2:20-21)
God often blesses us in ways that we don’t expect. Hannah most likely never expected to have a child let alone six children. Like Hannah, we need to resist the temptation to resent God’s timing and will. If we are willing to look past our own desires, we may be surprised at the extra blessing in the waiting.
Blessings like getting to know the Lord on a more personal level. Growing in our relationship with Him and seeing the many blessings that we would have overlooked if our focus was only on our own desires.
Philippians 3: 7-8 reminds us that “whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.” There is nothing greater than knowing Jesus!
I was reminded of this very thing by my five year old son Brock. One day on our walk he told me that he was going to die soon. When I asked how he felt about that he said, “I’m going to be with Jesus and there’s no better place than that.”
The healing that I was praying for came in a completely different way. Brock no longer had to deal with cancer and the side effects that come with it and over the years I’ve experienced God in ways that I would never had expected. I’ve also received extra blessing in new friendships, ministry opportunities and experienced God’s peace and hope. And I found that my relationship with Him is everything to me.
Be Intentional about seeing the extra blessings
Praises & Prayers
Father, I thank you for the story of Hannah and the many lessons and encouragement that it has given me over the years. You are a good God! Your timing is perfect! You give us so many blessings, too many to count. Thank you for the gift of a relationship with You. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Messages from His Word
Philippians 3: 7-8
But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.