I went to a seminary where the miraculous was not discounted, and where prayers were said in faith for healings, for blessings, for walls to be knocked down and God’s Kingdom to advance.

Sometimes, those prayers had mighty results. And sometimes, they did not.

It was hard to hear prayers that I knew God was answering with a “no” and yet others would pray in faith for the miracle anyway. It seemed unbalanced to me (and still does) to give God a “laundry list” of things I need “handled.”

As a chaplain, I frequently see the aching, hurting questioning heart of a family member who has lost someone in the battle to Death. They don’t need platitudes. Mostly, they need to be listened to, and loved. Occasionally I will sing a hymn or quote a verse of a song that reminds me that God is “still there.”

This new song by Laura Story may just make my “go-to” list. It’s called “Blessings” and has been released as a single prior to the release of her next album.

It encouraged me. And I hope it encourages you. The video is here…

Blessings by Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep

We pray for healing,
for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering

All the while,
You hear each spoken need
Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near

We doubt your goodness,
we doubt your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

All the while,
You hear each desperate plea
And long that we’d have faith to believe

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us
When darkness seems to win
We know that pain reminds this heart
That this is not our home
It’s not our home…

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can’t satisfy

What if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are your mercies in disguise