In Ephesians 5:19-20 the saints are exhorted to go about, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Count Your Blessings brings back a feeling of nostalgia for me. I remember a much younger version of myself sitting in the pews at church each week next to family and friends, the sun streaming in through tall windows. We must have sung this hymn a lot because even today when I sing it, I feel the warm presence of my Grandma Jennie smiling over at me.
So with Thanksgiving just around the corner, I sat down at the piano to write with this familiar melody in my heart.
Count your blessings;
Name them one by one.
Count your many blessings;
See what God hath done.
Bonnie Parkin gives great insight: “Gratitude is a Spirit-filled principle. It opens our minds to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God. Through it, we become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things, which gladden our hearts with their messages of God’s love. This grateful awareness heightens our sensitivity to divine direction. When we communicate gratitude, we can be filled with the Spirit and connected to those around us and the Lord. Gratitude inspires happiness and carries divine influence.”
Living each day in thanksgiving takes effort. I’m sure I fail at it more often than not, but I know that when I do stop and reflect on the blessings all around me, both seen and unseen, it brings me great joy.
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