Could It Be a Blessing in Disguise?

Blessing in disguise

When you look back at the past year, was 2025 everything you had hoped it would be?

Were there any disappointments?

Who hasn’t had some, right?

We know that disappointments are just a part of life.

They just . . . happen.

But, have you ever considered that what you perceive as a “setback” may actually be something totally different?

Could your disappointment actually have been a blessing in disguise?

God works in ways behind the scenes that we will never fully know and understand.

That troublesome setback in your life could be a stepping stone to something greater – a deeper more trusting relationship with the Heavenly Father.

You may feel like a trouble-magnet at times, but please don’t ever forget that you are a deeply-loved child of the King.

We can rely on His goodness and mercy to always be there to carry us through any trial.

He has done it before, and He will do it again.

God is faithful.

Look to His Son Jesus, the most perfect embodiment of compassion reflecting the love of our Father.

This love the Father has for us is eternal, just as our praise and worship of Him should be.

David echoes this devotion in Psalm 145. This psalm is a powerful reminder to share our blessings with each other and with the generations to come.

⁵On the glorious splendor of Your majesty
And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.
⁶People will speak of the power of Your awesome acts,
And I will tell of Your greatness.
⁷They will burst forth in speaking of Your abundant goodness,
And will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. – Psalm 145:5-7, (NASB).¹

Pondering God’s Blessing in Disguise

In a recent blog post I mentioned that I followed the yearlong LIFT Daily Prayer from Pastor Jack Hibbs.

The introduction to the podcast for December 30 really struck a chord with me and I’m happy to share this as an encouragement for you for the year ahead.

As we stand at the end of another year, God invites us to step back from whatever is right in front of our noses and remember His wonders. Over the course of these months, there have been answers to prayer, protections we never saw, “coincidences” that were really His hand, closed doors that later proved to be mercy, and even painful seasons where He was present in ways we only now begin to recognize.
If we were to sit with a blank page and start listing His deeds toward us this year, we might think of a few at first—but the longer we linger, the more we remember, and we soon realize we will never come to the end of them. The problem is not that God has done too little, but that we too rarely stop to see, to name, and to thank Him for what He has done. – Pastor Jack Hibbs²

Thank you Lord for all of your blessings!

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²From Hibbs, Pastor Jack, “Lift Daily Prayer: Too Many Wonders to Number | December 30, 2035. YouTube Podcast.” Web. Retrieved from: https://youtu.be/eSXzUDh7o60

Our Exceptional God

Finding Time For Faith In A Fast-Paced World

Finding time for faith

Do you ever feel like your “to-do” list is a mile long?

You may have the best of intentions, but hours later the sun is setting and you remember that you didn’t open your Bible, not even once.

Or, you didn’t tune into a Biblical sermon, not even that.

Guilty.

I hate to say it, but that has happened to me.

Christian writer and Holocaust survivor, Corrie Ten Boom, once said:

If the devil cannot make us bad, he will make us busy. – Corrie Ten Boom.¹

That is so true.

As Christians, finding time for faith should be a priority, but have you noticed how life often seems to get in the way?

We become like robots rapidly moving from one task to the next. We are overworked, overstressed, and spiritually undernourished. Our culture promotes “bigger and better” and subtly challenges us to keep up. Whew! Who made these rules anyway? Satan loves to keep us running in circles trying to beat the clock. If he can distract us, he can minimize our usefulness to the Kingdom of God. Satan may be the Prince of Darkness, but he is also the Duke of Distraction. – gotquestions.org ²

For me, getting up around 4:30 in the morning is the best time to do my Bible study. I don’t even need an alarm anymore.

Sometimes I miss though, and I’m kicking myself hours later.

You may have a similar time crunch – getting ready for work, having quality time with your kids, attending their sports events, making meals etc.

No one ever said that it would be easy.

Not easy considering all of our daily responsibilities, but oh so important.

Finding Time For Faith Through Prayer and Bible Reading

The Bible contains God’s Words to us.

His divine guidance for the experiences and emotions we go through in this life are God-breathed into the words on those pages.

I want to hear what God has to say, don’t you?

None of us are perfect and a few misses will naturally happen, but don’t let the devil completely take over your life with busyness.

Bible reading and prayer will enrich your walk with God.

Guaranteed.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path. – Psalm 119:105, (NASB).³

Isn’t that what life is all about?

Bringing glory to God, honoring Him, learning about His character through His Word and through the earthly ministry of His Son, Jesus.

Spending time with the Lord comes in many different forms, but there’s one daily prayer I wanted to share with you that you can access easily online.

It’s called “The Lift Daily Prayer” with Jack Hibbs.

Between 10-15 minutes long, the daily video begins with a Bible verse, an explanation of its meaning, and then it ends with prayer. You also have the option to share your prayer requests in the “comment” section where believers from all over the world can pray for you specifically.

This is not meant to replace the reading of God’s Word in any way, but it is an option to get you started.

Psalm 119:105

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¹Corrie Ten Boom, (1892-1983), Christian writer and Holocaust survivor. Quotation courtesy of AZquotes.com. Accessed 14 October, 2025. Corrie Ten Boom quotation

²Quotation from gotquestions.org, from “What does the Bible say about busyness/being too busy? n.d., para. 1. Web. Accessed October 14, 2025. Retrieved from Bible Busyness.

Our Exceptional God

What’s Next, America?

November 5, 2024 Gracie

Wondering What’s Next, America?

Considering the ever-rising political tensions dividing our country over the past four years, this stressful time in our nation’s history will only continue.

The divide between political parties seems even bigger than before – no doubt with the help of the mainstream news media.

Even so, none of this is a surprise to our Heavenly Father.

God is sovereign and in control over all things.

God’s plan for our country will follow the course that He has already set forth – and that includes the election results.

God will bless or curse this nation according to the choices we make. Let us get up, get out, and make our voices heard. Let us fervently pray for the Lord’s mercy to be upon us! May He graciously provide leaders—men and women—whose hearts are aligned with His. – Jack Hibbs, Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills and a nationally syndicated TV & Radio host. ¹

What’s Next, America? Share His Message

What’s next, America?

Is there anything that we can do?

Yes . . . PRAY.

We need a spiritual awakening in our nation.

However, at the same time, we must recognize that our ultimate citizenship is in Heaven (see Phil 3:20-21).

Our mission as Christians is to reach the world for Christ.

In other words, as this pastor clearly explains:

To care enough about the people in this life to make sure that they join us in the next. – Pastor Greg Laurie, Bible teacher and author.²

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¹Pastor Jack Hibbs quotation, courtesy of Real Life with Jack Hibbs, “Get Up, Get Out, and Stand,” 21 October, 2024, para. 6. Web. Copyright © 2024 Pastor Jack Hibbs. All rights reserved. Accessed October 25, 2024. Retrieved from https://jackhibbs.com/get-up-get-out-and-stand/

Our Exceptional God