6 Blessings to Count

A family went out for lunch and wanted dessert. The waiter brought pie and ice cream to a little boy who said, “Thank you!” She said, “Oh, I love to hear thank you!”

The boy replied, “Give me another scoop of ice cream and you’ll hear it again!” (Source: Unknown)

Another little boy was asked to pray for dinner. Before he bowed his head to pray, he looked at the dish. Then, closing his eyes he prayed, “Lord, I don’t like the looks of it, but I’ll thank you and eat it anyway.”  (Source: Unknown)

Thankfulness is not only rewarding, but it is also a choice…it is to be done on purpose!

Psalm 103:2 declares, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” Some adults aren’t thankful out of pure selfishness and others aren’t thankful because bitterness and pride is destroying their perspective on life as God sees it. The apostle Paul took time throughout scripture to list God’s benefits.   It is vital for the believer to take an inventory of all of God’s benefits! Let’s take a glance at 6 blessings to count, like the apostle Paul did.

1.      For other believers working with him…

Phil. 1:3-5.

In 1860, the Lady Elgin was rammed by the Augusta and sank in Lake Michigan near Evanston, Illinois. A ministerial student named Edward Spencer waded again and again into the frigid waters to rescue passengers. In the process, his health was permanently damaged. Some years later at his funeral, it was noted that not one of the people he rescued ever thanked him.  (Source: Disasters, Accidents, and Crises in American History, Ballard C. Campbell)

We must take caution against taking things and people for granted!

  • Nursery workers will be there to watch my children

  • Ushers will be there to greet and welcome me

  • AV Team will keep the mics and screens working well

  • The special music will be enjoyed every Sunday

  • The pianists will play for services

  • The SS teachers will teach my children

  • The Youth group will meet every week

  • Someone will empty the trash, clean the toilets, vacuum the floors, and straighten the sanctuary chairs

  • Someone will purchase church supplies

  • Someone will contact new visitors

  • Someone will shovel snow off the sidewalks

Take time to thank your co-laborers at GBC, but this begins at home as well!

  • Thank someone for the meal prepared

  • Thank someone for fixing a broken _________ in the house

  • Thank someone for doing the laundry

  • Thank someone for mowing the lawn

  • Thank someone for vacuuming and dusting the house

  • Thank someone fixing the car or for dealing with a repairman

A thankful heart for others reveals selflessness and Spirit-filled love. True thankfulness reveals the honest condition of a person’s heart.

2.      For the growing walk with God in others…

Col. 1:3-8; I Thess. 1:2-3.

Isn’t it encouraging when new families begin faithfully attending your church?

Isn’t it encouraging to see new families become members of your church?

Isn’t it encouraging to see the church offerings to continue to grow?

Isn’t it encouraging to see answers to prayer?

Isn’t it encouraging to see steps of faith in your own life, in the lives of your family, and in the lives of your church family? Paul expresses this thankful heart for the growth of other believers in II Thessalonians 1. 

  • Faith – steps taken in their walk (II Thess. 1:3)

  • Love for each other (II Thess. 1:3)

  • Hope in God

Seeing others in the church grow in their relationship with God encourages our own faith AND increases our own faith. Take some time this week to thank others for willingly growing in the Lord — AND grow your own relationship with God to be an encouragement to others.

For further study, take a look at these passages:

3. Paul thanks God for using Him…

I Timothy 1:12

4. Paul thanks God for the heritage God gave Him…

II Timothy 1:3.

5. Paul thanks God for God’s grace…

I Corinthians 1:4

6. Paul thanks God for believers’ good testimonies…

Romans 1:8

 A man had a habit of grumbling at the food his wife placed before him at family meals. Then he would ask the blessing. One day after his usual combination complaint-prayer, his little girl asked, “Daddy, does God hear us when we pray?”

 “Why, of course,” he replied. “He hears us every time we pray.”

She paused on this a moment, and asked, “Does He hear everything we say the rest of the time?”

“Yes, dear, every word,” he replied, encouraged that he had inspired his daughter to be curious about spiritual matters. However, his pride was quickly turned to humility at his daughter’s next question.

“Then, which does God believe?”  (Source: Unknown)

True thankfulness is not only rewarding, and purposely spoken…but it is also grown from the reality of our heart.  Paul’s relationship with His Savior was evidenced in his thanksgiving.  What evidence does our Thanksgiving give about our heart?