“Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed, because the Mighty One has done great things for me, and his name is holy.” (Luke 1:48-49)

The word blessed has come to mean many different things in today’s world. A commonplace answer when asked, “How are you?” “Blessed.” What does that even really mean.

Am I more blessed than someone else? It can be so easy to confuse what God calls blessed with what the world sees as blessed. According to Webster the religious definition of blessed means to hold in reverence, venerated; honored in worship, hallowed. It also means to enjoy happiness; bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune.

Mary wasn’t blessed because of anything she had done or anything she owned. She saw herself as blessed because of God. “He has done great things for me and he is holy.”

We tend to use the world’s measure to define our blessing. We compare. What we want. What we don’t have. With someone else. There should be a warning label on those beautiful, real Italian leather, black boots I covet. WARNING: These will not make you blessed. TRUTH: I am blessed “because the Mighty One has done great things for me.”

He does great things for me because He loves me. It is His love, His sacrifice, His life poured out for me. That is why I am blessed. Not for what I have. Not for what I don’t have. No, I am blessed because He loves me.

I am blessed, even when the report is negative.

Even when a loss shatters my world.

Even when the job I knew was mine, isn’t.

Even when. No, I am blessed. When the sun shines. When the rain pours. When the days are dark. When the way is cloudy. I am blessed, even when, I feel alone. I am blessed because I am His.