I was leading a study group recently, and we were discussing the meaning of the word ‘blessed’, which Jesus used to describe those whose lives reflect the qualities of the Sermon on the Mount. I explained that the Greek word in the original text, which we translate as ‘blessed’, referred to an inner state of contentment and peace that was there irrespective of outward circumstances.
The woman sitting next to me said: ‘I know what that is. Thirty years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and required an immediate operation. I was terrified at first, but then I was overcome with a sense of peace and inner joy that stayed with me right up to and beyond the operation. I just knew that whatever happened, I was in God’s hands.’
She said it was the most profound experience of her life. That’s blessedness.