Blessing in disguise

Holy Week is just around the corner. Aside from meditating on our wrongdoings and repenting our sins, it is also a perfect time to reflect on the blessings that we receive daily.

Blessings don’t always come as exciting gifts gorgeously wrapped in gold and tied with colorful ribbons. Usually, the most precious presents we receive come in a seemingly unfavorable way, eliciting our discontent and even our anger. Little do we realize that there is a divine plan that will eventually unfold to reveal a surprising outcome.

So, instead of cursing a negative thing or event that comes into your life, pray that it would turn out to be one of the universe’s marvelous blessings in disguise.

The Burning Hut

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him and every day scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and store his few possessions.

Then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived to find his little hut in flames, the smoke billowing up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything he had was lost. He was stung with grief and anger.

"God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.

"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things go bad but we shouldn’t lose heart because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. –Author Unknown

The Cracked Pot

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole he carried across his neck. One of the pots was perfectly made and never leaked. The other had a crack, and by the time the water bearer reached his master’s house, it had leaked much of its water and was only half full.

This went on daily with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection and felt miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

"I am ashamed of myself and I want to apologize to you."

"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"

"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaw, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts," the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot and in his compassion, said, "As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it up a little. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw and took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."

We are all cracked pots. Each of us has our own unique flaws. But in God’s great economy, nothing goes to waste. Don’t be worried about your flaws. Acknowledge and accept them, and you too can be the cause of great beauty. –Author Unknown

Tragedy Or Blessing?

Years ago in Scotland, the Clark family had a dream. Clark and his wife worked and saved, making plans for them and their nine children to travel to the United States. It had taken years, but they had finally saved enough money and had gotten passports and reservations for the whole family on a new liner to the United States.

The entire family was filled with anticipation and excitement about their new life. However, seven days before their departure, the youngest son was bitten by a dog. The doctor sewed up the boy but hung a yellow sheet on the Clarks’ front door. Because of the possibility of rabies, they were to be quarantined for fourteen days.

The family’s dreams were shattered. They would not be able to make the trip to America as planned. The father, filled with disappointment and anger, stomped to the dock to watch the ship leave – without the Clark family. The father shed tears of disappointment and cursed both his son and God for their misfortune.

Five days later, the tragic news spread throughout Scotland – the mighty Titanic had sunk. The unsinkable ship had sunk, taking hundreds of lives with it. The Clark family was to have been on that ship, but because the son was bitten by a dog, they were left behind in Scotland.

When Mr. Clark heard the news, he hugged his son and thanked him for saving the family. He thanked God for saving their lives and turning what he had felt was a tragedy into a blessing.

Although we may not always understand, everything happens for a reason. Even a tragedy or misfortune could turn out to be a beautiful blessing in disguise.

* * *

For your comments, e-mail DeroSeminar@yahoo.com or text 0920-4053233. Registration is ongoing for the author’s summer life-enhance seminars.