DAILY ENCOUNTER

COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS 

"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:" Psalm 103:1-2

Glory to God! One of the most dangerous things a human being can do is to forget the benevolence of others. The world is so busy that we forget birthdays, appointments, and even the names of people, and these are small matters as compared to forgetting the kindness of others to us. But when we forget the goodness of God, we open the door to complaining and ingratitude. That is why David commands his own soul to remember the benefits of God. David did not wait for his feelings to rise; he commands his soul to bless the Lord. Our emotions are good servants but bad masters, and the soul must be told who is in charge. Sometimes we must talk to ourselves and tell our souls what to do. Then he lists the benefits: God forgives all our iniquities, heals all our diseases, redeems our life from destruction, crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies, satisfies our mouths with good things, and renews our youth like the eagle's. Look at that list. Every aspect of our lives is covered by His benefits. God has not left anything out. He is concerned about the spirit, the soul, and the body. The tragedy is that many believers have received so much and yet are only focused on what they have not received. It is possible to receive a hundred blessings and still be sad about the one that is missing. That is how a heart that has forgotten becomes restless and bitter.

In Luke 17, ten lepers cried out to Jesus for mercy, and He healed all of them as they went to show themselves to the priests. But only one came back to say thank you, and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, 'Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine?' Nine received the benefit, but only one remembered the Giver. Jesus said to the one who returned, 'Thy faith hath made thee whole.' He had been cleansed with the others, but his gratitude brought him into a deeper wholeness. Counting your blessings is a way to remember. Take some time today to sit down and write down what God has done for you. Start from the small things, like the air you are breathing and the strength you woke up with, and move to the big things, like your salvation, your family, and the answered prayers of the past. As you write, you will realise that your list is longer than you think. Many people who have gone through hard times say that writing down their blessings was the start of their joy returning. You cannot be thankful and bitter at the same time. Do not forget His benefits. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Hallelujah!!!

FURTHER STUDY

Luke 17:11-19; Psalm 77:11-12; Deuteronomy 8:10-14 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

1. What benefits of God have I forgotten or taken for granted, and how can I remind myself of them daily?
2. Can I write down ten specific blessings from God in my life and thank Him for each one today?

PRAYERS

Father, thank You for Your word. I bless Your holy name, and I will not forget Your benefits. Thank You for forgiving, healing, redeeming, and satisfying me in Jesus's name. Amen