When God Seems to Bless Everyone Else

Once upon a time, there was a mom who discovered she was expecting her second child.  She and her husband were very excited to be adding to their family.  As they did with their first child, they began to pray for this new baby - for proper growth and a healthy pregnancy among other things.  But there was something else this mom prayed for on her own - something no one knew she was praying for.  She was praying for twins.  You see, this girl just thought there was something very special about twins and she greatly desired to have them.  She told no one of her prayers and went about her days - morning sickness and all.

One evening before Christmas, this girl received a call letting her know some exciting news - not only was her brother and his wife expecting - they were expecting twins!  The girl was happy for her brother and his wife!  What an exciting time!  But after she hung up, she thought to herself - "Wait a minute.  I'm the one who was praying for twins!  Why isn't that me?"

Once upon a time, there was a husband and wife.  They were busy doing life together - raising children and keeping busy.  They were happy.  They didn't live an extravagant lifestyle, yet they were content.  But they also had dreams.  But, as sometimes happens, life for them took a drastic turn and much of what they had planned for and dreamed about had all changed.  Now they had to recalculate and readjust.  Much had changed.

That would have been okay, except that it seemed to them that every time they turned around, someone else they knew was celebrating some exciting thing - often times some of the exact things they had been praying to happen in their life.   Although it wasn't true, it felt to them that every single person they knew was living out their dream.  And they were just struggling to stay afloat week to week.  The wife thought to herself, "Why can't that be us?"

These are two stories that are true in the life of one person - me.  It's actually humbling for me to admit this to you because in the grand scheme of things, these are somewhat trivial issues.  There are much more important things to be concerned about.  Many people are facing some great struggles, things much harder than what I am facing.  But I share these stories to ask you this - has anything like this ever happened to you?  Have you ever had a great desire in your life for something that you are earnestly praying about, and God seems to be giving it to others instead?  I'm fairly certain that most people, if we are honest, would answer "yes."  We all have wants and desires in our heart that we pray for, but sometimes feel like God isn't listening or maybe just ignoring us.

Recently a friend and I were talking and sharing with each other about some things we were waiting for in our lives.  I was grumbling to her how it's hard sometimes to look around and see how it seems like everyone else is getting the exact things I was praying for.  She said she understood.  But then she made a remark that keeps replaying over and over in my mind.  She said, "It's hard to see God giving what you want to others, but you have to remember that you don't know how long they have prayed for that to come into their life."  Boom.  Conviction.

I was so focused on what they had and I didn't, that I did not even stop to consider the fact that perhaps they had spent a very long time praying about that specific thing.  Just like I go to bed each night, spilling my heart out to the Lord, asking Him for specific things, they may have done the same thing.  Just how I feel like I have been praying about the same thing for what seems like forever, they may have felt that too.  Just like God is telling me either "not now" or "wait," He may have told them that too.  Perhaps they have prayed about it even longer than I have been.  And now, while I was having my pity party, they were having a praising party when God granted their desires.

This "light bulb" moment may seem like a total no brainer to you, but it was just the wake-up call I needed to cause me to make a total 180 in my thinking.  To make me stop focusing on the negative and to begin to rejoice in the positive.

When we focus on the negatives in our life we will get grouchy, depressed, and have self-pity.  We will be jealous, discontent, and ungrateful.  And we will be miserable.  If we let this thinking go unattended, we will even finding ourselves hating others for their happiness and joy, and eventually may find that we might even hate God, blaming Him for our unhappiness.

Instead, we need to focus on the positive.  God gave us a handy dandy list in Philippians 4:8 to help guide us on what we should be thinking on:

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

This list is a "sifter" that we can run our thoughts through.  If the thought is in line with one of these things listed, then think about it, dwell on it.  But if it is in contrast to any of these, if it goes against any of them, we should cast it out of our minds.

Sometimes this is easier said than done.  At times, it may take big measures to keep our thoughts in line with what God wants us to think on.  It may mean leaving social media (or at least not going on it as much).  It may mean discontinuing watching certain shows, the news, or reading certain types of books or magazines.  It may mean not hanging out with people who bring you down and are constantly negative themselves.  Or, it may just mean putting up reminders on our phones and around our homes to remind us to redirect our thinking.  It may not be easy to make these changes if they are needed, but it will be worth it.

If we get our focus on the positive and the good, we will be much happier.  We will not look around us thinking everyone else is being "blessed" more than us (you can read an earlier post I have about my thoughts on "blessed" HERE if you wish).   Instead, we will look around us and truly be happy for all the good that God is bringing into others' lives.  We will be happy for them.

Although the Lord did not give me twins, He gave me a beautiful and healthy daughter, who has twin cousins that are her good friends.  And my I just adore my twin nieces (whom I still have trouble telling apart! 😆).  And although I know many people who, especially this year, have been able to have some great things happen for their family that I myself am praying about for my family, I can be happy for them because I know that is exactly what God wants for them at this time.  And for now, He wants that to be enough for me.  Right now, He is just asking me to wait on Him. He is teaching me so much about the concept of waiting and I plan to share with you what I am learning very soon.

Until next time....
Emily