Counting My Blessings

Posted On November 19, 2023

“My cup overflows with blessings.”

Psalm 23:5 NLT

“Gratitude, expressing it and surrounding yourself with it, is truly life changing. God’s Word and His promises are full of His many blessings, giving us countless reasons to voice our gratitude and thankfulness.”

The Weekly Gratitude Project

We are told in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 that God’s will for us to give thanks in all circumstances. Why does He ask us to do this? Well, for all He’s done for us, He deseves it. But I don’t think that’s the main reason. God doesn’t need our thanks, but He knows that we need to be thankful. We need to learn to be grateful because it’s good for us. Developing a habit of gratitude reduces anxiety, increases contentment, and shifts our focus where it belongs — on God.

So, this week we are taking a break from our regular study plan to pause and give thanks. I have a guided journal called The Weekly Gratitude Project which is the source of all the quotes for this week’s post. And I have also included a couple of videos, because I can’t celebrate Thanksgiving without music! I had a hard time deciding between two songs, so I finally decided to include both. Here’s the first one. It’s an upbeat version of “Count Your Blessings” that makes me smile every time I watch it. : )

“Jesus is the reason we can always give thanks. We give thanks for what He’s done . . . . We give thanks for what He’s promised . . . . And we give thanks for what He’s given . . . . If there’s nothing else on your list today, give thanks for Jesus. He is reason enough.”

The Weekly Gratitude Project

The Weekly Gratitude Project highlights three categories of blessings we can be grateful for: (1) what the Lord has done, (2) what He has promised, and (3) what He has given. For each of these categories, it includes a list of examples and Scripture verses to focus on. So, let’s start counting!

What He’s Done

  • He Died for You – “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8 ESV)
  • He Made You – “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT)
  • He Chose You – “God has chosen you and made you his holy people. He loves you.” (Colossians 3:12 NCV)
  • He Sought You – “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” Luke (19:10 ESV)
  • He Leads You – “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” (Psalm 23:1-3 ESV)
  • He Comforts You – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4 ESV)
  • He Heals You – “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil, my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:5 ESV)
  • He Frees You – “So if the Son makes you free, then you are unquestionably free.” (John 8:36 AMP)
  • He Adores You – “And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:6-7 NIV)

What He’s Promised

  • A Helper – “And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor — Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever.” (John 14:16 AMP)
  • His Return – “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18 ESV)
  • His Power – “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the wokrs I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” (John 14:12 NIV)
  • His Peace – “I am leaving you with a gift — peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” (John 14:27 TLB)
  • What You Need – “When you pray, go into a room by yourself. After you have shut the door, pray to your Father Who is in secret. . . . Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” (Matthew 6:6, 8 NLV)
  • What You Desire – “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 ESV)
  • A Place of Rest – “The promise to enter the place of rest is still good, and we must take care that none of you miss out.” (Hebrews 4:1 CEV)
  • A Place to Belong – “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:2-3 ESV)
  • Abundance – “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 ESV)

What He’s Given

  • Grace – “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.” (Ephesians 1:7 NIV)
  • Hope – “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three.” (1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV)
  • Love – “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13 ESV)
  • A Family – “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household.” (Ephesians 2:19 NIV)
  • Help – “Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:1-2 NIV)
  • Friends – “A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need.” (Proverbs 17:17 NLT)
  • Food to Eat – “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.” (Genesis 9:3 ESV)
  • Clothes to Wear – “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30 ESV)
  • Spiritual Gifts – “To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” (1 Corinthians 12:8-11 NIV)
  • Opportunities – “Whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone — especially to those in the family of faith.” (Galatians 6:10 NLT)

Keep Counting

” . . . what if we approached each day with a focused heart? What if we adjusted our lens so we could see the gifts God has placed all around us — little and big, invisible and visible, spiritual and physical, recurring and unique to today? We have countless reasons to be thankful — but do start counting! Open your eyes to all He has given and give thanks.”

The Weekly Gratitude Project

In addition to all the blessings mentioned above, there are infinitely more we could add to the list. As we make a point of watching for them, we start noticing them more and more. And we realize they go on forever. We may not be able to count them all, but that shouldn’t stop us from trying. Let’s keep looking for the ways God works good into our lives, and let’s keep counting our blessings!

“Gratitude begins with a choice: I am going to set my mind. Set your mind on all the reasons you’ve already listed — what He’s done, what He’s promised, and what He’s given. Keep setting your mind on those gifts day by day. Then, add to your list. Write down each gift as your recognize it. Go back and reread your list so that you will remember — on the hard days, on the easy days, on the busy days — all your many reasons to be grateful. . . . Whatever else happens today, Jesus is mine, and I am thankful.“

The Weekly Gratitude Project

This week’s Scripture passages remind us to pray, rejoice, and sing to the Lord. God has showered His kindness on us, and we have all received one gracious blessing after another. Let’s give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

Counting-My-Blessings-Scripture-PrintableDownload

“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

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About The Author

Christa

My vision for Wondertakings was to create a devotional blog for "nerdy" Christians like me. I do believe, as Socrates said, that wisdom begins in wonder. So I love to read or watch anything that inspires wonder and figure out what I can learn from it. I view it all through a Christian lens. I believe that God can and does speak through many sources in many ways, even if those speaking are not aware of it. I am not an expert in theology or religious studies. My goal with this blog is simply to share what I've learned as a fellow student and sinner in the Christian walk. My hope and my prayer is that by doing so I may be able to help someone else. In Deuteronomy 5:33 (NLT), we are told: "Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives. . . ." So in the words of Moses (and Spock), live long and prosper, my friends!