Remembering to Count Your Blessings

4/15/2022

How can my foolish heart turn a month of #blessings into a #complaining spirit? The answer is quite simple. Dissatisfaction comes naturally. #Gratitude is learned. #Scripture is filled with calls to #praise #God with a #thankful heart, probably because God knows our propensity to selfishly cling to our #complaints like they’re a good thing. We like to have a few good things to #complain about. However, #praising God for His blessings makes us and others focus on His goodness. #blessed #bless

The sound of “Count Your Blessings” instantly transports me back in time. I grew up singing this beloved hymn, but sometimes, in the nostalgia of the melody, I forget the powerful truth of the words. This past month has been so full and packed with good things:

My Mom received clear pet scans and biopsies and was told, to the disbelief and astonishment of her doctors, that she is in remission after taking only half of the prescribed chemo treatments.
My husband and I escaped for a weekend babymoon, a time for just the two of us.
My church friends and family gave baby Lucy and me the most beautiful shower, supplying many needed baby items.
My parents were able to visit for nearly a week. We enjoyed time together and celebrated Mom’s improving health and our upcoming addition to the family.

Individually, these things are all amazing, and I’ve cried many tears of joy this month. However, in the midst of all these wonderful things happening during the busyness of everyday life and baby planning, I found myself growing more and more tired instead of more and more thankful. It occurred to me that, instead of overflowing with praise to my Awesome God for His overabundant blessings, I was quick to complain about exhaustion and pregnancy woes.

How is it that when my cup runs over with trials, I never fail to notice and pray to God for relief, but when my cup runs over with blessings, I often lose sight of my good Father?

If I really stop to think about my life right now, I am thankful for:

my pregnancy.
time with my husband.
time with my friends and family.
my Mom’s improving health.

However, despite the blessings, what comes out of my mouth is quite often a complaint about:

pregnancy symptoms.
not having time to relax.
being too busy and tired.
being emotionally overwhelmed by all the good things.

How can my foolish heart turn a month of blessings into a complaining spirit? The answer is quite simple. Dissatisfaction comes naturally. Gratitude is learned.

Scripture is filled with calls to praise God with a thankful heart, probably because God knows our propensity to selfishly cling to our complaints like they’re a good thing. We like to have a few good things to complain about. Our complaints evoke sympathy, camaraderie, and even respect from others while praising God for His blessings makes us and others focus on His goodness instead of our goodness.

The next time I feel the urge to complain, I want that thought to instantly come to my mind. Do I want to draw attention to myself or to my God? We are called to be thankful and draw the attention of others to God by praising Him for the good things rather than complaining about the things we don’t like and cannot control.

Colossians 3:15-17 challenges believers to “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which ye also are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him."
Psalms 106:1 tells us to “Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever.”
Psalm 100:4-5 says we should “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy endureth to all generations.”

Obviously, God wants us to focus on His goodness and not on the bad things in our world. There is always something to praise God for—a good side to every bad penny. We just have to consciously see it and thank God for it.

When I want to complain about pregnancy struggles, I can instead thank God for the miracle of life He is growing inside me.
When I want to complain about tiredness and busyness, I can instead thank God for giving me friends, family, and responsibilities that make my life worth living.

At the end of the day, instead of dwelling on the negative side of circumstances that can overwhelm me, I can begin counting all of the good things God is doing in my life—each and every one of my blessings. Just like the song says...

Count Your Blessings
Johnson Oatman

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
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.

Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, ev’ry doubt will fly,
And you will be singing as the days go by.

When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings, money cannot buy
Your reward in Heaven, nor your home on high.

So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

—Refrain--
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.