Counting Blessings

When I was a young boy - around eight to fifteen or so - we had a service every Sunday night in the fellowship hall of the Presbyterian church my Dad pastored. Before he gave his sermon, we'd sing several hymns. Anyone could call out a hymn number and we'd all sing that song - first and last verses. Those times gave me a good knowledge of and appreciation for the old hymns. They also nurtured my faith. We sang "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" so many times that I could more easily accept friendship with God as I grew up. "Love Lifted Me" taught me the basic concepts of sin and redemption. "Blessed Be The Tie That Binds" taught me about fellowship.

But the one hymn that has truly impacted me through the years has been "Count Your Blessings". The chorus was a little on the dorkey side, the lyrics were pretty simplistic - but the message was powerful.


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 has done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

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

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.


Now when I was just a boy in church I was never "burdened with a load of care", unless you count my anxiety over which comic book to read each night before bed - Superman? Batman? The Green Arrow? But, like everybody, as the years piled on so did the burdens and anxieties.

I remember one really difficult period financially well into my married years when I couldn't sleep at night for all my worries. Night after night I'd just lay in bed and fret and pray. Well, up popped that old hymn in my memory and I took it as direction from God. I started counting my blessings until I fell asleep. Every night I'd lay down and start counting. It seemed natural to thank God for each blessing I named, so thanksgiving became a big part of my prayers during that time. I actually looked forward to bedtime and counting my blessings with thanksgiving. It adjusted my perspective. It calmed my fears. And counting my blessings has been a big part of my prayer life ever since. Almost always I begin my extended times of prayer with thanksgiving. I'll say, "Lord, I really need to ask for your help today, but first I'm going to thank You for ten blessings" (I don't know why I say ten, just a metric system thing I guess).

So this afternoon I was thinking about contentment and where Paul spoke of learning the secret to contentment regardless of his circumstances. For him it was "I can do all things through Him that strengthens me". For me, the secret to contentment is found somewhere within this act of thanksgiving and counting blessings. I think living a simpler life also has a lot to do with contentment, but I'm not on that page of the playbook yet with God. Someday, I hope...

One more point: the more you count your blessing, the more blessings you realize you have. And when you are realizing how much you have, that sort of crowds out obsessing over what you don't have.

So let me say thanks to my Dad who reads this blog. Those Sunday night hymn sings made a difference in me. Let me also thank my Father in heaven. I am so blessed! I'm hitting my knees by the bed in a bit, Lord, to thank You for all You've done for me. Thank You forever for remembering me and showing me mercy over and over and over.

Amen.