In the hymn Count Your Blessings, Johnson Oatman, Jr. wrote the lyrics, “Count your blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your many blessings, name them one by one. Count your blessings, see what God hath done.”
Have you taken the time to count your many blessings and give thanks to God lately?
Many of us will gather together with family and friends for Thanksgiving in the coming days. We do not have to wait until Thanksgiving to give thanks for our many blessings. We can live a life of thanks. We can have an attitude of gratitude every day of the year. There is always something or someone we can be thankful for. There is always a reason to give thanks.
Having an attitude of gratitude can change your outlook on life. Gratitude may not change your circumstances, but it can change your outlook on those circumstances.
Research has shown that consciously practicing gratitude can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety. A single act of gratitude produces a 10 percent increase in happiness and a 35 percent reduction in depressive symptoms. This just adds to our reasons to pause and give thanks.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) in the Bible, we are reminded to, “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
The writer of this passage, Paul, spent time in prison for his faith. Yet, he is the one who has penned the words to “rejoice always” and to “give thanks in all circumstances.” If Paul could rejoice in his circumstances, might we find joy in our circumstances and give thanks to God, too.
Pause. Breathe. Take some time this week to count your many blessings, and as you do, give thanks to God for the many things God has done.
Rev. Haley Hausman
First United Methodist Church
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Kewanee Voice.
