Count Your Blessings 

Psalm 103:2-5 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. 

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tenderness. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s. 

There is a hymn that goes – Count your blessings, name them one by one.

 Count your many blessings, see what God has done.

Recently I experienced several instances that surprised me like a gut punch. I didn’t see them coming.But, as I recovered my breath, I sensed they were actually blessings from God - an invitation from Him to go deeper into knowing and trusting Him. He drew me in and confirmed to me that I had, in truth, received great freedom in my heart. Yet, I still had small places in my soul where lies and uncertainty remained rooted. And it was by His Hand and in the Grace of His Timing that He allowed them to surface. 

In falling back on Him in complete surrender of my view of His purpose for me, I was given insight about how the Enemy subtly conditions us to believe his lies and how God trains us to walk courageously in His Truth. When situations take us unaware, the questions that should rise in us are –

“What do you have for me here, LORD?” “What new thing do You wish me to see and understand?”

We all have triggers that will surface and surprise us until Jesus returns. To understand and accept them as blessings for our good – to shake us into awareness that we have places where residual corruption of old wounds and lies keep us from the best God has for us – is another blessing we can count.

When we heal from one hurt, then experience a pain or loss in a way we haven’t before, we are experiencing the remolding and remaking of our heavenly Father who is committed to our complete redemption. So much so, that He takes us on the healing path uniquely designed to lead us into a deeperknowledge of Him. And in a way that will draw others to desire to know what we know. The revealing and healing give new strength and courage to live in an increasingly troubled and unstable world.

Are you in need of blessings to count? Let me get you started with some more of mine –

I live in the shelter of the Most High God.

I am safe and secure because I rest under the wings of my Healer.

I am free to pray Big prayers and dream Big dreams because I served a Big God.

And I receive His answers sometimes in a stream of intimate communication to my soul...

Precious Child, 

Resist falling to despair when you are shaken from your perception of what I am calling you to do. 

I press into your sore places to prove what is just temporary satisfaction and what is for your long-termgain to increase your talents and build up your treasure with Me. Lean into Me when you face such times,and I will put fresh desires in you. And you will walk them out in healing and holiness.

The God we serve is closer than your next breath. He looks at you with loving tenderness. It brings Him great joy when you walk in intimate closeness of deep faith and trust in His leading you in this adventurous journey of life. He remains ready to administer healing when you need it, bringing with it new vision and revelation of purpose when you are ready for it.

Further Reading: Psalm 37:4; Ephesians 3:20-212/2

A Thanksgiving Prayer –

Precious Heavenly Father,

Thank you that my losses are only temporary, and my insecurities reveal places in me that you want to redeem and heal. You lead me to walk in new High Places with inspiring vistas to enlarge my faith and for the increase of Your Kingdom.

You dare me to dream With You... to watch in expectation for what you will do in and for me. I refuse to let my humanness have the last say for you are the God of limitless power and my Healer. I set my soul to wait for you. When the Enemy seeks to flood my mind with his lies – You show me my blessings and give me new things to believe you for. I speak them aloud now for Your Honor and to Your Praise... (begin your own list of blessings now)