June 1, 2011
|
Are you counting your blessings?
From the Pulpit During his lifetime, Oatman wrote more than 5,000 hymn texts. His most popular hymn, still being sung today, was, “Count Your Blessings.” You've probably sung these words in a church service: “Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God hath done.” Someone said about this great hymn of the faith, “Like a beam of sunlight it has brightened up the dark places of the earth.” Most of us can relate to the message of this hymn. On April 27, more than two dozen tornadoes tore through various parts of Alabama, leaving devastation. Almost 240 Alabamians died in these storms. If you are like me, you felt extremely sad for people who lost loved ones, homes, and businesses. And, if your home or business received no damage, you were counting your blessings. Yes, we in Cherokee County endured a power outage for a few days, but that difficulty paled in comparison to what others throughout our state suffered. Are you a fan of the television show “Survivor”? Contestants on that show endure primitive conditions and difficult situations. I think one reason that show is so popular is because when you see people shivering because their fire went out, itching like crazy from bug bites, doing without the comforts of life, or enjoying some morsels of food, you can't help but appreciate all you've got. I don't think I've ever read an official definition of what constitutes a “blessing” in someone's life. I am finding that the older a person gets, the less a blessing is viewed as something material, and the more a blessing is viewed as good health, family, friends, faith, and the like. So how do you actually “count” your blessings? One way would be to keep a running list of your blessings in a notepad. You might write, “I received a senior discount today.” Or, “A kind person helped me change my flat tire.” The more you focus on the smaller blessings, the easier it will become to be grateful for the bigger, more important, blessings. Second, you could literally count your blessings. Every time you feel grateful for something record a checkmark in your notepad. At the end of the day, notice how many checkmarks you've made. We have thousands of possible things to be grateful for during the course of a single day; we just have to be willing to see those blessings. Counting your blessings, instead of your losses or hurts, makes you a positive person, and helps you have a persevering, “can do” attitude. As you count your blessings, don't forget to give gratitude to the One who is the source of all your blessings, our Heavenly Father. As the Bible's Book of James says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights ... ” (James 1:17). We don't have to look far to see hurting people, do we? Sometimes we don't want to look, but for months to come we Alabamians need to keep focused on the thousands of people who have lost much as a result of the destruction from the tornadoes of April 27. Our friends and neighbors are going to need our assistance for a long time to come. Helping people in need is a practical way to count your blessings. Gary Hardin is pastor of Enon Grove Baptist Church in Cedar Bluff. He and his wife, Linda, live in Centre. Comments can be sent to: garyhardin@tds.net.
|