Inconvenient Blessings

Psalm 65:9–13 9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: Thou greatly enrichest it With the river of God, which is full of water: Thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it. 10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: Thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof. 11Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; And thy paths drop fatness. 12They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: And the little hills rejoice on every side. 13The pastures are clothed with flocks; The valleys also are covered over with corn; They shout for joy, they also sing.

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Rain, I haven’t been a fan lately.

We have had our share recently, haven’t we?

One day this week I was making deliveries and got soaked. The next day, I got stuck in a downpour fumbling through my pockets to withdraw my keys. My basic work truck doesn’t have keyless entry so the stuff I was carrying to sell along with this salesman got soaked. I strongly suspect those keys coordinate to not cooperate in coming out of my pocket when I am in a hurry. The next day it was the same situation, rain was falling hard, one hand holding some stuff to sell and the other hand a cup of coffee, I ran to the truck door and couldn’t pull it open. The products fell to the puddle on the ground, the coffee was all over me as the rain seemed to pick up its pace.

Nope, I have not been loving this rain the last few days.

But then today, I opened the Word and was reminded that rain is the gift of God.

To the electrical product salesman/pastor, the rain can be a burden, but to the farmer the showers are a sweet blessing. If the farmer is blessed in growing his crop and raising his cattle, then the electrical salesman/ pastor is blessed in the food provided.

Some of God’s best blessings are inconvenient.

I read a woman’s testimony about the loss of her husband to an early grave. She told how in the past she would scold him for his muddy work boots. She said that after he died, what she had seen as symbols of his carelessness she now saw as symbols of his love for her and the children. She testified of longing to sweep up a mess brought by those boots one more time. They had been an inconvenient blessing.

Inconvenient blessings come from the Lord in too many ways to list but let me name a few.

A floor filled with toys reveal a home blessed with children.

A sink full of dishes tell us a story about bellies filled with food.

A bathroom sink covered with makeup and hair products tell a man he has a wife that cares to look nice.

I have not appreciated these inconveniences at the time.

I am learning to be thankful for even the inconvenient blessings bestowed upon me by my gracious God!

Dear reader, how about you? Have any inconvenient blessings?

The last verse of today’s reading is especially helpful to me.

Psalm 65:13 The pastures are clothed with flocks; The valleys also are covered over with corn; They shout for joy, they also sing.

The crops and the flocks are performing their peculiar praise to their creator. They tell us he is there, and he cares. According to this passage the cattle and crops use their voice to praise. Makes one wonder, am I using mine?

Lord, Help me to praise you with voice you have given. Help me to praise you in good times and in the bad, in sunshine and in rain. I know that my inconvenience is a small price to pay for the blessing on the way!