Do Blessings Have Thorns?

A very dear friend of mine is looking for a job today. We met because we both worked for the same company. Things started to change a year ago, and my job was in a vulnerable position. So when I was offered something better, I jumped. Her job, however, should never have been in a vulnerable position. She herself should certainly not have been! She is brilliant, hardworking, productive, a team player and a lot of other valuable things.

Of course I KNOW that this will turn out to be a blessing in disguise for my friend. Still, it hurts now. A single mom with a lot of responsibilites, it must be frightening for her to be unemployed. A great job with awesome pay and opportunities up the wahoo is surely waiting for her. So it's a blessing.

But sometimes, those blessings can really hit hard. What feels like a sledgehammer can turn out to be a blessing. So what do I tell my friend? How do I make the sledgehammer hurt less and let the hidden blessing easier to see?

I don't expect answer to the age-old question. But I sure think about it a lot.