Blessed

In my daily Bible reading today, I revisited the story of God calling Abram to leave his homeland and go to a new place.

Genesis 12:1-2
Then the Lord told Abram, "Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's house, and go to the land I will show you. I will cause you to become the father of a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and I will bless you so you can be a blessing to others."

This story has always scared me a little. I've always worried that God would ask me to move WAY outside my comfort zone - please don't send me to Africa! As intimidating as a physical move may be, comfort zone changes can take all types of forms - relational, financial, medical, emotional. I've experienced some pretty major changes in all of these areas over the last few years, and guess what? I've lived to tell about it! While I don't understand why the changes have happened, but I do know that I have felt the presence of God in my life in a very real and personal way as He has led me into new territory. I have felt His protection and provision throughout the journey.

But today as I read, something new struck me - there are blessings to be had! "I will bless you". Those aren't just words, that is a promise from God, and He does not break His word and He does not change. Here's where it got me, though: "I will bless you so YOU CAN BE a blessing to others". Wow. Its so easy to get tunnel vision during transitions and challenges. God wants to grow me during those times so I can bless others. We do not walk alone. We were all built for community - to bless each other. Through some of my challenges it has been such an encouragement to me to have God bring people along side me who can empathize - who have been down a similar road, who know what to say and, more importantly, how to pray. Its been very humbling for me to see Him starting to use me to help others along as well. He doesn't want the unknown to make me bitter, He wants to use it to help me be a blessing.