Friday, November 1, 2013
By: Gwen Hitt
Count Your Blessings One by One
2 Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
Yesterday's devotion focused on a story about a man who desperately desired to experience God in a tangible way. Although God responded to this man's pleas, the man was unable to recognize that he had actually HEARD God, SEEN God, and FELT God. Sadly, we, too, often miss out on the opportunities that God has created for us to experience His presence...His love...His concern. One major reason for our failure to experience God's presence in our lives is that we simply forget to take the time to count the blessings that He so abundantly provides for each of us.
Rather than focusing on the blessings that we do have in our lives, our tendency is to dwell on our problems. Please realize that I am not minimizing anyone's desperate situations. Spending time with our Constant Friend prayer list is a somber reminder of the overwhelming circumstances that individuals are facing right now. However, I do fully believe that our God is a capable God, a healing God....a God who desires to bless us.
In fact, in today's scripture, we are given the reason for why He chooses to bless us. We are told that God is able to bless us abundantly so that we will have all we need to complete every good work. I came across the lyrics of a song entitled "Count Your Blessings" which was written in 1897. This song written so long ago still has a message for us today - a message of hope - a message of God's faithfulness.
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
My challenge to you today is to COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS ONE BY ONE. I encourage you to create a list of your blessings in a journal, on your phone, or in your Bible. Your Blessings List could include a kind act by a stranger, a beautiful rainbow in the sky, an encouraging word from a friend, a good report from the doctor, gratitude for God's mercy to carry us through our trials... Taking a little time each day to reflect on your blessings will keep you aware of the ways that God continues to bless your life.
Dear Lord, You are such a wonderful Provider. I am extremely grateful for everything that You so generously bestow upon me. Help me to never miss out on what You are doing just for me.
I thank You Jesus for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life. In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.
