Count Your Blessings

 

For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed to us-ward--Romans 8:18

 

Notwithstanding the fact that as children of God we are the recipients of so many wondrous blessings and exceedingly precious promises (2 Peter 1:4) there will fall upon us those times of sorrow and suffering that are common to all mankind. At this moment there are so many thoughts echoing through my mind. Sometimes it seems as if the sufferings of this life are so overwhelming. There are the times when we try and try to say and do that which is right only to become disappointed. Sometimes the burdens weigh so heavy on us making our pilgrimage on earth one in which the days do indeed become weary and the nights become dreary. Stop and listen to the words of 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal".

 

Find a song book and turn to the song "When Upon Life's Billows". Look diligently at the sentiments of each verse and then heed the words of the chorus  "Count Your Many Blessings, See What God Hath Done". To be sure, the path we walk often becomes difficult but the blessings of God on our lives far out weigh the hardships. I am convinced that when we  reflect on our lives, we will find that God has been so good to us and in fact has "blessed us with wealth untold". The greatest blessing for all of us is found in the honor of being  called the sons of God (1 John 3:1-3). For us to have this honor our Lord had to endure some tremendous trials while on this earth. He suffered ridicule and shameful treatment at the hands of his accusers. He had to walk that lonely road to Calvary and have nails driven into his flesh and then be hung on a cross to die. He gave his life, shed his precious blood to make it possible for us to be called the sons of God (Colossians 1:12-14). Whatever besets us on this journey will not deter us as we press onward toward that prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13-14) so long as we lean on the mighty arm of Jesus and stand firm on the Rock of Ages (Psalms 18:2; Isaiah 26:4).

 

Charles Hicks