Blessings in Disguise

There was a big rainstorm on Monday afternoon.  Although I didn’t see much lightning, the roar and vibration of the thunder was definitely heard and felt.  At one specific moment, after an extra loud clap of thunder that seemed to shake the house, the computer shut off and one of the main phone bases stopped working.  I was relieved to not see or smell smoke after the occurrence.  After Larry came home, he checked out the computer.  When the internet would not come up, he called our provider.  The representative found some things that needed to be cleaned up on the line, but that still did not clear up the problem.  With more trouble shooting, Larry realized that the network card was out.  Even though I had several things to do using the internet the next day, I needed to wait for Larry to get home from work, purchase a new card, and then install it.  Once again I was intentionally grateful for our computer and especially that Larry knew how to install the card and fix the problem.

And then came the blessing in disguise.  I’m not sure whether it was the representative cleaning up the DSL line, the new network card, or both, but the internet now loads up in record time.  Even though it might have been a little inconvenient to be without the computer for a day, the final results were well worth the wait. 

Life has a way of sometimes giving blessings in disguise.  When I was a student at Texas Tech, it was time for the yearly Baptist Student Union Convention.  Busses had been rented and the much anticipated weekend had finally arrived.  Even though I was rarely sick, that Friday morning my allergies got the best of me.  After making it through classes, I realized that as much as I wanted to go to the conference I would need to wait for another year.  I was really disappointed and agonized over whether to still go, but I knew that not going was to be for the best.  Saturday morning, I awoke to the news, on the radio, that one of the busses from Tech had an accident on the way to the BSU Convention and flipped on its side.  One girl died and others were injured and hospitalized.  There was an overwhelming realization that I could have been on that very bus with friends.  Because of illness and choosing to stay in the dorm that weekend, my life had been protected and spared.

Sometimes we can see the answer for why something happens or doesn’t happen in a few hours time while other times it may be a week, months, or years before we know.  And sometimes we have to rely on faith to realize that we may not ever know this side of Heaven all of God’s mercies in disguise.

In the chorus to Laura Story’s song “Blessings”, she reminds us of God’s mercies.

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You're near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

He is good to everyone, and his compassion is intertwined with everything he does. Psalm 145:9 (The Living Bible)