Count Your Blessings

 

By Andrea Merrell

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, 

I will praise His holy name.
Let all that I am praise the Lord; 

may I never forget the good things He does for me.

Psalm 102:1-2 NLT

 

“I can’t sleep,” the woman told her counselor. “Even that sheep-counting thing doesn’t work.”

The counselor nodded her understanding. “How about counting your blessings instead?”

Unfortunately for many, that’s a foreign concept. They would much rather bellyache and complain about what they don’t have rather than give thanks for what they do have. They wait for the biggies and fail to recognize all the little blessings along the way.

The psalmist David reminds us that God loads us with benefits on a daily basis. They begin when we first open our eyes each morning, giving us a new day full of new mercies. Then there are a multitude of little blessings to be grateful for as we go about our day: A roof over our head. Food in our pantry. Heat. Air conditioning. Reliable transportation. Family. Friends. A good church. Sunrise. Sunset. The list could go on and on.

Someone once asked what we could give back to the Lord for all He blesses us with. The answer is a grateful heart. We can thank Him for every single blessing He pours out—no matter how big or small.

The old song says we should count our blessings, naming them one by one. If you’re having trouble finding things to be thankful for, here’s a suggestion. Designate one day to create a gratitude list. Write down how many times during the day you can thank Him. Before you know it, your heart will be overflowing with praise … and your sleep will be sweeter than ever before.

Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net and AKARAKINGDOMS.