I’ve been thinking so much about Thanksgiving and how different this year has been and will be. My husband and I will be alone, but together, for the first time since we’ve been together, in over 40 years.
Still chewing on that thought and two blogs that I wrote some time ago, came to mind. One, The Perspective of Gratitude and the other, Number 759, 760, 761… and Counting, which tells us to count our blessings. Feeling led to sort of combine the two if I could.
Right now, especially now, Thanksgiving, even “ThanksGrieving”, if you find yourself grieving the loss of anything this year, but all of it, our mindset is a matter of perspective. If we take inventory of what we have, we will have a written record of what we have. God said that is one way of counting our blessings. Acknowledging what we have gives witness to it. And although we may not realize it, we are making a mental note of our provision. Namely, how God has provided for us.
Whereas, if we take note of what we don’t have, it will clearly cause us to overlook the things we do have. Our focus has to be shifted. Especially now. Especially today, In this season.
The Scripture says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Counting our blessing, focusing on what we have, is giving thanks for everything we have. And that is what God wants us to do. That is the will of God concerning you. Concerning your life. Be thankful for what you have. And most importantly be thankful for what God has done for you.
As we begin to count our blessings, it will lift us up. When you are discouraged and thinking all is lost, count your many blessings, name them one by one and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. It may be a song, but it is a song based on Truth. This makes you take a moment in the midst of your storms of life and realize what God has done, in spite of them. You are still blessed. You still have reason to be thankful.
Counting, and numbering all the things that God has done will show you that things may not be as bad as they seem. And I am reminded of the Scripture in Lamentations, chapter 3, “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." The words cause you to meditate on the goodness and the faithfulness of God… what He has done for you. This can carry us over.
When we stop to take a moment and breathe and remember that God is yet good, and He is faithful it gives us hope. When we do that, when we remember what He has done for us in the past, we are acknowledging how He has blessed us, we are counting our blessings and it is when we grab hold of what He has done for us in the past, that we are compelled to go on.
Focusing on what we have, gives us hope.
So count your blessings. Acknowledge what you have. When you begin to get down, count your blessings. When you get discouraged, count your blessings. When you get in the complaining mode and don’t feel as though anybody appreciates you or what you do, count your blessings. When your body aches, count your blessings. When it’s raining, count your blessings. You’ll be filled with hope and realize just how much you really have.
Be blessed and stay thankful and keep counting.
Evelyn Fannell
Copyright ©2020 EvelynFannell
