When you count your blessings, it means you’re being grateful. It helps you recognise and admit God’s favour and mercies even over little things in life, that would’ve possibly been overlooked.
It makes you more and more positive and optimistic. Simply because, you can’t be pessimistic and grateful at the same time. You can’t be murmuring and thanking simultaneously.
God led the people of Israel miraculously out of the land of Egypt. Their eyes saw wonders that no one had ever seen before nor after till date.
• The Red Sea was parted so they could cross over the dry land, the same Red Sea drowned the Egyptians.
• God fed them with manna throughout their journey in the wilderness.
• He was their pillar of fire by night and pillar of cloud by day.
• Lifting of Moses’ hands brought victory to Israelites from the Amalekites.
• He provided quails to satisfy their cravings.
• He made the bitter waters sweet.
• He brought water out of the rock.
• The ground opened and swallowed those who questioned Moses’ and Aaron’s leadership.
• Merely looking at the bronze snake hung on the pole brought healing to the people.
And the list goes on.
If only, the people of Israel had counted their blessings!
Oh! They counted only their problems and kept murmuring against Moses and God. And as they focused on their problems, their faith kept wavering. Their trust in God started diminishing. They failed to realise that the Almighty God who did wonders for them in the past is all able to provide a solution to any and every problem they would ever face.
We’ve often heard this phrase ‘Count your blessings’. What does that exactly mean?
It means you choose to focus on the goodness of God rather than on your problems.
It means you choose to give thanks in all circumstances rather than murmuring for little things.
It means you choose to rejoice always rather than worry.
It is natural for us to focus on our problems. But when you begin to thank and praise God even in difficult circumstance, you are unfolding a miracle in your life.
That’s what happened to Paul and Silas. They were flogged, arrested and imprisoned. Their feet were fastened. Rather than grumbling over the dark and unpleasant experiences in the prison, they began to sing praises to God. They sang so cheerfully that it attracted the attention of the other prisoners. The other prisoners also stopped shrieking in their pain and started to listening to Paul and Silas.
That’s exactly what happens when you praise God in tough situations. Your praises will draw the attention of people around you.
And then, something supernatural happened. Acts 16:26 says, “Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.”
I like many things about this verse:
1. There was not an ordinary earthquake but a violent earthquake.
2. The prison building was not shaken, but the foundations of the prison were shaken.
3. The prison doors didn’t just open, they flew open.
4. And amazingly everyone’s chains (not just Paul and Silas) came loose by itself.
Isn’t this so supernatural?
And if you read the rest of the story, Paul saved the life of the jailer. Vs 29 says, The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
All this while, the prisoners would’ve feared the jailer, but opposite happens here. The jailer trembled before Paul and Silas. And immediately he experienced salvation.
Paul and Silas’ attitude of praising and rejoicing during their prison experience brought people to Christ.
How are we today? Are we focussing on our problems or are we counting our blessings?
Do you want to open the doors to supernatural blessings in your life?
Don’t wait, count your blessings and thank God for everything.
Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits (Psalms 103:1-2).
