Blessed?

Okay, I just typed in the word "blessed" in the search bar on BibleGateway.com. How many results did I get? 291. I searched the hashtag #blessed on Twitter and too many tweets for this kid to sit around and count, knowing that another 20 tweets will come in about every 30 seconds to add to the list. This goes without saying (but I'm saying it anyways) blessed is a pretty popular word among tons of people, but especially Christians. I admit it, I probably say it a lot without thinking really thinking what I'm saying--whenever things are really, really great and I feel pretty darn good. But from a conversation I had yesterday, I've been doing some thinking about what the word blessed really means.

I think that we, as a culture--especially our Bible-belt, majority church going culture, say the word blessed more often times than not when things are going well. "I spent time with my friends and family this weekend! I feel so blessed!" "We got a new house! So blessed!" "I married such an amazing man--what a blessing!" The list really can go on and on (Please note: This list is not specific to me--obviously from the 2nd and 3rd quotes--but things I've seen recently on Facebook, Twitter, etc. BUT I know I've said the first one and more many times).

I am not saying that these things and more are not blessings. What I am saying though is how often we point out our blessings in a time of abundance...But aren't we, as believers, blessed regardless of our circumstances? We're simply blessed because God has shown us an abundance of mercy and unmerited grace. I think since we (again, as Christians) don't necessarily believe in "luck" or the chance of things falling into the right place at the right time, we replace the word "lucky" with the word "blessed".

When I think of the times that I say "blessed", it's so often when things are all going my way and that is not at all the case. Yes, being blessed does in fact mean blissfully happy or contented; and yes, I looked that up on dictionary.com, but shouldn't we feel that way even on a "normal" day because we know that whatever the circumstances, all things work together for good, that good being God's good and purpose, not our own. And that is a blessing--a bigger one that I could have ever thought of on my own.

This post is not to discourage people from acknowledging all of the blessings in their lives, but instead to call attention to the less obvious, the ones that don't always bring that feeling of elation, but maybe should be more greatly recognized in the happenings, heartaches, and actuality of everyday life.