God has set before us blessing and a curse to choose from, Deuteronomy 11:26. A serious mind will therefore count his blessings in order to appreciate God. Blessing is an undeserved favour from God. It encompasses God’s grace, mercy, love, providence, protection, presence and intervention in our lives. Many term it as a miracle or breakthrough.
Blessings sometimes manifest in longevity of life, good health, peace, progress in life, freedom from adversity, business and family success, etc. We often limit blessings to only the positive aspects of life. However, a blessing can also be negative or a bad situation, for example an obstruction that saves us from future calamity which we may not know. The nature of our relationship with God will help us to understand or perceive what blessing is.
Biblical injunction
Paul says in 2 Corinthians 1:11 that Christians must help by prayer on behalf of others so that many will give thanks for the blessings God has granted them in answer to many prayers. Unfortunately, many do not even know how God has blessed them with or without prayer request. They only count great things as blessings most times leaving the small things that matter most is life.
Vital daily blessings
Daily blessings start with the daily lease of life. We start the day with many but many also do not end the day with us. Many start the day in good health but end the day with sad medical conditions. Some suffer from road, sea or air accidents sometimes through no fault of theirs. Some are able to afford medical attention, others not. Some start the day with sound minds but end with loss of partial or full memory. Some start the day walking but suffer paralysis subsequently. Some wake up speaking but unable to speak thereafter with all plans shattered. Some are able to eat, chew, swallow or drink but soon have to be fed through tubes etc. Some start the day with sight and hearing and with all their senses intact yet end the day having lost all. Some cannot even afford a meal or care or attention.
Many have challenges with their sleep save by medication or equipment. Some suffer from spiritual attacks so are afraid to sleep. Some have jobs but are terminated by the end of day. Some start the day wealthy but close the day with poverty. Some start the day as free persons but end the day in incarceration. Some start the day in a happy home but end the day in a broken relationship. Some start the day with joy but end in tears. Some start the day with hope but end the day dejected. No space rock has plunged on any one in spite of millions of space rocks floating around us always. Many have suffered from natural disasters but we have respite. The list goes on without end. These are some of the vital blessings which we ignore as automatic yet they are not. We receive them by grace, Ephesians 2:8.
Blessings in bad news
No one wants to hear bad or negative news. However God sometimes allows it for his good purpose. For example, sickness allows our bodies to rest from our labours sometimes. They slow us down from chasing the wind and some dangers ahead which we may not know. Solomon aptly describes what we spend all our energies chasing in this life as vanity of vanity, Ecclesiastes 1:2. They do not add to our spirituality in any way. They may sometimes be helpful but certainly not edifying, 1 Corinthians 10:23.
Bad news allows God to manifest his glory in our lives if we continue to trust him so they are blessings in disguise. They cause us to depend on God with a closer walk with him in that we are able to pray more and seek his intervention. We must therefore count the opportunity to engage in a closer walk with God as a blessing. In seeking God’s intervention, we are compelled to put up good behavior against our bad habits. But for that negative news, we would not stop our bad behavior so it is a blessing.
Bad news tells or reminds us that there is nothing permanent or certain in this life except the word of God. This confirms the biblical saying that all things shall pass away except the word of God, Mark 13:31; Luke 21:33. If such news is a reminder of the future to walk right, then it is a blessing from God. It helps us to reset our priorities to be in line with the requirements of heaven. They serve as prompts for us.
We usually judge by sight and mere belief, not on facts that are mostly hidden in deception from our knowledge and wisdom. Only God knows the truth. Bad news sometimes gives us better insight about those who pretend to be friends or upon whom we rely and entrust with our resources. We must consider such bad news as a blessing and therefore give thanks to God. Genesis 6:5 says that the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. Let us trust God rather than man.
Counting your blessings
There are spiritual blessings when we count our blessings daily for in doing so, we appreciate God daily for what we ordinarily do not deserve. There are several blessings that we do not know or recollect unless we prayerfully take daily stock of them. What we know is often limited to the physical but the greater part of it is in the spiritual. We can give thanks only when we count our blessings. Jesus said, he who is faithful over little will he set over much, Matthew 25:23. What do you consider as a blessing?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, let me always acknowledge your blessings in my life that I may forever appreciate you as I ought to. In your precious name I pray. Amen!!
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