Blessed by Believing

Today I was reminded of something God had taught me years ago. It was back in that last year or so of my time in Evansville when I made less than $10,000 for the year, had mounting bills, and a fading hope that God would ever fulfill the promise He'd given me to provide me with a teaching job. I was reading in Luke about Mary and the Lord highlighted this line for me:

"Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!" (1:45)

I remember God reminded me that I had been blessed simply because I had believed what He'd told me so many years before. That even in that time when I felt like giving up and was starting to believe it would never happen, I WAS BLESSED because I DID still believe. My faith in Him pleased His heart. At that time it was a nugget of Truth that kept me hanging on just a little bit longer.

As I was reminded of that today I couldn't help but praise God because He did bring to pass that promise. As He has with so many others since that time. For nearly 7 years of my life I could hardly see past my trials and lost much of the joy that came from fulfilled promises. But I must stop and thank God today for bringing them to pass regardless of how joyful I was over them at the time. And to also thank Him for never letting me stop believing Him even when I wanted to. Just as importantly, I'm reminded to KEEP BELIEVING for the other promises He has given me. Because I am blessed simply for believing! And will no doubt be doubly blessed upon the fulfillment of each one.

So, KEEP BELIEVING! You are blessed!