It is probably one of the more common human traits – the desire to have more – more wealth, more love, more pleasure. And the list goes on. Another common human trait is the tendency to be blind to the abundance of blessings we already have.
Perhaps that is because those blessings are hidden in plain sight.
There is so much in our existence that we take for granted. The air that we breathe is a perfect mix of gases that seem perfectly blended to meet our needs. The clouds that float above us and bring life-giving rain to nourish our crops. The perfectly timed rotation of our planet that keeps our environment from getting too hot or too cold. The tilt of the earth and the orbit around the sun that produces the seasons which renews and refresh our environment annually.
Along the way, we have become indifferent to the miracles of our world that are critical to our existence while, at the same time, we exploit those miracles for our benefit. We plant food crops without a thought about the miracle of photosynthesis that powers the growth of those crops. We build our homes from wood that came into being via that same process as trees reach for the sun. We exploit the properties of metallic elements to build skyscrapers and cars.
From our first breath at birth to our first conscious thought when we awake in the morning, we experience the full spectrum of miracles that define our existence, day after day.
And day after day we strive for more without a moment’s thought about how much we already have. Day after day we fail to appreciate those hidden miracles, miracles hidden in plain sight.
More importantly, we fail to recognize the proof inherent in those miracles – proof of that higher power we call God, proof of the incomprehensible complexity of our very existence.
When we marvel at the sight of a beautiful sunset or the majesty of a mountain range, when we thrill to the music of a birdsong or the stirring notes of a marching band, when we inhale the tempting aroma of freshly baked pastries, we are indulging in the potpourri of blessings our Creator has provided. Still, we yearn and pray for more.
If we were capable of recognizing and appreciating all these blessings, we would be awed by all those blessings that fill our lives. We would be filled with joy.
If we reflect on the variety of human states, we might question – what about those who cannot appreciate some of those blessings? What about those blind from birth, what about those who cannot hear, or those who cannot walk or talk? What blessing do they experience?
Perhaps those who have been denied the joy of our earthly blessings are more fortunate than we realize. Perhaps they will experience joy more intensly than our own when they transition into a heavenly realm where all they have been denied is suddenly and infinitely available to them, when all those hidden blessings are revealed in all their glory.