Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
In addition to being one of my favorite gospel songs, this is one I need to sing and contemplate frequently. Truth be told, our cushy lifestyle in this part of the world has proven to be an impediment to the gratitude we owe the Blessed Giver. I am not immune to this issue as there are times when I allow the little inconveniences of life to dampen my attitude. If I am honest about this character flaw, ingratitude is the root of the problem. The song in the title of this article relates the solution to the problem, and this truth was demonstrated powerfully by a woman in a leper colony on the island of Tobago in the Republic of Trinidad.
A man leading singing asked if anyone had a song request as there was time for one last song. A woman who had been facing away from the man turned around to request a song. He was aghast at the sight of her face, recounting that her nose and ears were completely gone. Furthermore, the hand she raised to request the song had no fingers. Her leprosy had devoured them entirely and was continuing to eat away at her flesh. Yet, “Count Your Blessings” was her song of choice.
I have encountered many lessons through the years that have challenged my attitudes, but few have been as powerful as this poor lady whose body was literally being eaten by an incurable disease showing more gratitude to God than I have at times in my cushy life. I must do better, and I know I am not alone in this. So, let us take a few moments to count some blessings and increase our thanksgiving to the Blessed Giver (James 1:17).
He supplies all our physiological necessities as evidenced by the fact we are capable of carrying on this discussion (Matthew 5:44-45; 6:25-33; Acts 14:17; 2 Corinthians 9:8-11; Philippians 4:18-19). As Americans, we often take for granted these provisions because we have so many material things. However, as recent events in our area have traumatically reminded us, our earthly lives are fleeting, so we must conquer this tendency (James 4:13-17).
He also supplies our mental/emotional needs. After giving Adam life in a blissful garden, His next gift was a family, beginning with his wife (Genesis 2:18-24). God’s assessment that it is not good for man to be alone is borne out in study after study, as well as all the anecdotal evidence showing the critical need for love and belonging. Family is such a blessing to us all, and that blessing must never be veiled by everyday difficulties in this fallen world. Husbands and wives ought to cherish one another (Ephesians 5:22-33). Parents and children must recognize the reciprocal blessings they are to one another as well (Ephesians 6:1-4). This could go on indefinitely but thank the Lord for family.
In the same vein as biological family, God provided an extended spiritual family in His church (Romans 8:14-17; 12:4-13; Galatians 3:26-29; Ephesians 2:19; Hebrews 2:11-13). A closer look at these passages shows the tremendous depth of this connection. What a blessing it is to have an eternal family to lean on for the support we need to endure to the end.
The greatest of all blessings in our count is the gift of God’s Son and the salvation He delivered. Everything is meaningless in the absence of this blessing. Every one of the physical blessings we enjoy are sure to fade, and in the end, we have nothing but our souls to carry into eternity. Outside of Christ, eternal separation from God and all the torment that brings is certain (John 3:16-21; Romans 1:16-17; 10:13-17; 6:23; 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9; Hebrews 10:26-31). Conversely, in Christ we have peace with God, redemption, and reconciliation (Romans 3:21-26; 5:1-21; 2 Corinthians 5:10-21; Ephesians 1:7). So, as life gives us moments of discomfort, may we always count our blessings. The result will be lives of greater thankfulness which is the key to joy despite the world around.