“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:” – Psalm 103:2
“Count your many blessings, name them one by one…” Many of us know this familiar hymn, but I wonder how many times have you actually counted your blessings, naming them one by one? I am sure I have never done so because if I had, I’d still be naming them!
I often bypass commonplace blessings (is there really such a thing?) and focus on the “bigger blessings.” For example, I rarely thank God for each breath I take, yet He is responsible for each one according to Job 12:10. “In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” I don’t recall ever thanking God for a sunburn, or a bee sting, or a splinter even though these can be used to grow my faith. 2 Corinthians 4:17 states, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” Those are “light afflictions” of the flesh, but I’ve never thought of them as a benefit to me or worthy of thanksgiving.
It’s easy for me to count my blessings when I think about the positive things, such as a rewarding job, good health, delicious food on my table, but I must not forget the smaller things that God has done for me or the things God allows in my life for which I do not see any rhyme or reason. The Bible tells me that God’s ways are much higher than my ways (Isaiah 55:9), and my responsibility as a Christian is to give thanks. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 states, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
So, here is a partial list of the “little” things with which the Lord has “benefited” me that I have overlooked when counting my blessings.
- A daughter who can sew face masks
- A hot cup of coffee to drink in the morning
- Electricity
- A heart that has faithfully beat more than 100,000 times per day
- Lap blankets
- A “no-reason-except-I’m-thinking-of-you” text message from a friend
- Insect repellent
- Clean water
- A shoe horn
- Granddaughters who like to shoot hoops with their grandmother
I really could go on and on. And I guess I should, shouldn’t I?
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
*Count your many blessings, see what God has done.
[*And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.]
(from “Count Your Blessings” by Johnson Oatman, Jr.)
“What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?” – Psalm 116:12
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It’s even possible to see the benefits to us from this virus, isn’t it? What blessings has God given you through this time of “shelter-in-place”? Take a moment to thank Him for them!