by Willie Andres
“Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God has done.”
As the song goes, we ought to count our blessings. One by one. See what God has done. In our lives, as we walk in His presence, it brings us in the spirit of praise for and gratitude to the Creator God. Psalm 24:1 says, “The earth is the LORD’s and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.”
God created it and gave it abundance in everything. And He created us to make use and enjoy of its fullness. Because we are His own. And He gives this abundance to us, whether huge or little, in the form of day- by- day blessings. God loves His own. He provides for His own. And His own is us. “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness. (Colossians 2:6-7)
It was not always the case, as in my personal thankfulness. It was easier for me to “overflow with thankfulness” only when I receive. I am more grateful to God when good times are a-rolling. In times of adversity, when things are less than ideal, when things are not headed in my favor, I just lose my thankfulness. And I easily forget the blessings of yesterday. Why? I get so focused on those things that I have yet to receive. And only when I get those things that I want to receive that I say, “Thank you, Lord.”
I remember one Friday Night Watch. We came in late, just after the white board in the room had been almost filled with prayer requests and petitions from the brethren for health and healing, jobs, business plans and church activities and projects, visas, traveling mercies, relationships, etc., I noticed (later, when someone pointed it out, I cannot remember who) that the written praise reports occupied only about a fifth of the whole white board. But by the grace of God, when one by one, we started telling of our praises that night, Pastor Oyette suggested that they be written, added under the Praises column, which he himself started writing. Even before everyone finished, the Praises column was already filling and looked like there were more praise reports than the prayer requests and petitions combined. Praise be to God, that appreciative gesture acknowledged God’s ever-presence in our lives. I felt the Lord taught us, through PO’s writing them on the board one by one, that we have seen what God has done. The incident reminded me personally that the good Lord has blessed me with everything, whether good or unpleasant, for my sake and for His glory. So that I may know Him more. So that I could be taught that I can be thankful at all times, in good times and in less than desirable times as well. “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1) It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High.” (Psalm 92:1)
“ Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” ( Philippians 4:6-7 NIV)
Come to think of it, I can learn to unlearn my anxiety about everything, even about those things that I have not received, so that I can develop with God’s help, a habitual, automatic thankfulness to the LORD. To pray in every situation I am in and be thankful at the same time, even if the things that I have asked for have not yet come. In His time, He will give them to me even if they come different from what I have asked and prayed for. The LORD knows what is best. He does not forget. He is good. God knows my needs and He will provide them at just the right time. He is never late. He is in control.
Yes, it is good to give thanks to God. His love that endures forever is reason enough. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone at GSCC! God be praised, in Jesus’ name.
