A Blessing or a Lesson!

By Tim Jackson

Imagine making it your life's goal to climb a mountain or take a trip that you have dreamed of. You dream about it, envision what it will be like and what you'll do when you get there. You plan your journey, you follow all of the guide lines, you watch for hazards and you navigate the course. It motivates you to work harder and the excitement just radiates from you. Then, just before you reach the destination, you get a peek at your goal and realize that it's not what you thought it would be. You immediately think back to all that you went through and realize that it wasn't worth the sacrifice.

That's how I felt when I realized that the job that I had pursued for close to 11 years wasn't really what I wanted. Eleven years of long hours, missed recitals, ballgames, and birthdays all in hopes of reaching my goal. And here I am, a few steps away searching for that feeling that I had dreamed about.

What was the journey for? Why did I go through all of that? Why did I put my family through all of that? Birthday parties via FaceTime, vacations postponed due to work or in some cases, taking work with me on vacations. Why had I put my family though all of this just to quit? This couldn't be part of God's plan for me right? Did I make a mistake? Did I miss what God was saying to me?

What I realized is that the long days, the missed parties and get-togethers were to prepare me for the moments to come. Let me explain, I now cherish the time that I get to spend with family and friends because of the days that were sacrificed in the past. It's a blessing to be able to go to church as a family and not have to wait if my days off line up to do so. It's a blessing to be able to watch football or basketball with my son on the weekends instead of cramming as much as possible into my one Saturday off each month.

Had I not gone through having my vacation request denied, I wouldn't truly appreciate the freedom of being able to plan a trip at my leisure now. So the heartache of missing out was just a lesson and the freedom of today is a blessing.

Bad days were not meant to destroy you, they are there to build you. Tough days are there to show us lessons, good days are there to show us blessings. Believe that all things work together for the good of those who believe in Him. It's our role to get into position to see things properly. It starts with our mindset each morning. Wake up daily with thanksgiving and gladness in your heart. Be thankful for the lessons and be thankful for the blessings. If you opened your eyes this morning, it is a blessing. It our job to act accordingly. God does not make mistakes, you were #Builtforthis and you will be Blessed.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

-Romans 8:28