Blessings

 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth." Matthew 5:3-5

Eric and Leslie Ludy have this to say about these verses: "You're blessed when you are out of options and all you can do is lean on God. Because when you realize you need God, it is only then that you tap into His immeasureable greatness and goodness. You are blessed when you've been stripped of what is most precious to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One who is most precious to you." (When God Writes Your Love Story, page 43)

*These verses mean a lot but often get skipped over as cliche and overused. Often times growth comes through struggles but when people go through struggles their response is not thankfulness for the struggle...they want to be rid of their struggles. Instead realize that problems we go through are given by God and planned by Him in such a way as to inspire spiritual growth and bring us close to Him. We get sidetracked thinking that surely problems cannot be blessings ---but they can be. When I personally go through struggles I love to praise God aloud especially remembering the verses of Psalm 34:

" I will extol the LORD at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
² I will glory in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
³ Glorify the LORD with me;
let us exalt his name together.

⁴ I sought the LORD, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.
⁵ Those who look to him are radiant;
their faces are never covered with shame.
⁶ This poor man called, and the LORD heard him;
he saved him out of all his troubles.
⁷ The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.

⁸ Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.
⁹ Fear the LORD, you his holy people,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
¹⁰ The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.
¹¹ Come, my children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the LORD.
¹² Whoever of you loves life
and desires to see many good days,
¹³ keep your tongue from evil
and your lips from telling lies.
¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good;
seek peace and pursue it.

¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous,
and his ears are attentive to their cry;
¹⁶ but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil,
to blot out their name from the earth.

¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them;
he delivers them from all their troubles.
¹⁸ The LORD is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

¹⁹ The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the LORD delivers him from them all;
²⁰ he protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.

²¹ Evil will slay the wicked;
the foes of the righteous will be condemned.
²² The LORD will rescue his servants;
no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.