2020 now sits behind us as we all start walking into 2021 with hope. The world seems to have come to the consensus that 2020 was a cursed year all around. Completely changing the way we live in every possible aspect. Plans that had once been set in stone, melted away. Traditions that had spanned generations finally were broken this year. Everything we had grown accustomed to was replaced with a new normal in just a few months and all anyone wants to do is get back to the old ways. Yet amidst all this I believe that many can still say they were blessed in a year that most would view as cursed.
For me, I know this to be true. No, my year didn’t look like I wanted it to. Just like everyone else many of the plans my family and I made never came to be. My whole household even tested positive for COVID-19. But these things do nothing more for me than prove what the scripture has always tried to teach us is true. We don’t know what lies ahead so instead of believing our grand plans will always happen we should simply trust that God’s will is what we are going to see.
James 4:13–15 (ESV)
13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.”
Amidst everything that could be counted as bad this year I can not help but see the many ways that God has blessed me through it all. As I said, my whole household contracted the virus. But praise God, our symptoms were mild and we made it through safely. Which only went to strengthen my faith in our merciful and compassionate God.
Lamentations 3:22–23 (ESV)
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
Psalm 145:9 (ESV)
9 The Lord is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
Thanks mostly in part to COVID I have been able to spend more time at home last year than any year before. In fact, all together I was home from work for just over two months last year. Thankfully during that time, I was still able to receive an income. Not to mention all the time we have spent at home as a family due to most of our normal actives not being possible or even allowed.
Yet, having this time acted as a greater blessing than I could have ever imagined. I was able to see my young son grow in so many ways. From crawling to walking to now running every time we set him down. My wife and I have also been able to slow down and really focus on time with one another. This has been a time I am so thankful for and would not be willing to trade for the world.
While growing closer with my family I have also been able to grow closer to God. Last year I had more time free time than ever before. Which enabled me to spend more time every day in prayer. In fact, it was during one of my first quarantines this year that I really began to develop my dedicated prayer time in the morning. I have prayed daily for some time, but never in this same way I have been able to this year. It has been a blessing I didn’t even know I needed.
Reinforcing in my life the importance of prayer that scripture teaches.
Philippians 4:6 (ESV)
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
James 5:16 (ESV)
16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.
Ephesians 6:18 (ESV)
18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)
17 pray without ceasing,
This time has also been used to grow so much in God’s word. I have a love for God’s word and often chose it over other books. But last year that love has only grown stronger as I was able to spend the time in it that I have always wanted to but never had the time to before. This time in the Bible has blessed me in so many ways and made last year brighter every day.
I can agree that last year was not be the greatest. Like pretty much everyone else I would have liked to have seen it go a different way. But I cannot overlook the fact that God has blessed me over this last year. Which has helped me to learn a few biblical truths first hand. Like the fact that God does truly work all things for the good of those who believe even when we can’t see it. As well as the fact that at times God does things that we would not be able to understand even if He told us about them.
Romans 8:28 (ESV)
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Habakkuk 1:5 (ESV)
5 “Look among the nations, and see;
wonder and be astounded.
For I am doing a work in your days
that you would not believe if told.
I don’t write all this to brag about how God blessed me this last year or to make others feel bad. No, I share all this with you in the hope you will take some time to look over the last year of your life. I am sure if you do that you will see the many ways in which God has blessed you during a year that many have counted as cursed.
Don’t remember 2020 as an awful year in which nothing seemed to go right. By doing so you are negating all the things that God did for you. Blessings that you should be thanking Him for because of the great impact they had on your life. You have read how God blessed me so now I ask how were you blessed in a cursed year?
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