When morning breaks and you awake, do you offer God praise or complaint? When bowing in prayer, do you express adoration and praise to our Savior King or do you present a lengthy list of needs? When considering your circumstances, are you grateful for God’s blessings or troubled by the supposed lack of them? Let’s give ourselves a few moments to examine our answers.
I’m sitting outside in the middle of a southern July, enjoying sunny blue skies with an ever-present cool breeze. Amazing! A song pops in my head and I’m reminded of bittersweet times. “Praise You in the Storm” by Casting Crowns brings back such a flood of emotions for me as I remember an extremely hard time in my life. My dad had recently died and my daughter had mentally detached herself from her family creating severe hurt and pain for all involved. At the same time, God provided His constant care through loving, supportive family and friends. A choice daily presented itself: do I live with the burden of pain and negative feelings weighing me down or do I lift my hands in praise to the God who died on a cross in my place that I might live free in Jesus’ name? I chose to live free but it wasn’t always an easy decision. Thank God for His earthly hands that lovingly hugged me through it all!
Are you reminded of times in your life when God came alongside difficult circumstances? Were the trials bittersweet because of Jesus’ grace? Did you praise Him in your storm? As God’s people, we should ALWAYS REMEMBER His blessings. His Word tells us that we should FORGET NOT all His benefits. Read the Word of our Lord:
Blessed be the Lord,
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation! Psalm 68:19 (NKJV)
Who daily loads us with benefits,
The God of our salvation! Psalm 68:19 (NKJV)
Scripture says the God of our salvation loads us with benefits. Not convinced? Don’t feel the weight of benefits? Allow God’s Word to help you make a list of His goodness.
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:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:1-5 (NKJV)
Here’s my list:
- I am washed in the blood of the Lamb, cleansed from sin!
- Daily forgiven, now I must forgive!
- Healed after experiencing dangerous clots in my lungs in 1994!
- Finally healed from years of massive menstrual bleeding!
- Being strengthened (doing my part which is exercise) after suffering back problems!
- My daughter returned to her senses and her family!
- Been blessed with a wonderful and growing family!
- My God is faithful and daily feeds me with His Word!
- He has blessed me with His mercy and grace!
- He renews my strength and fulfills His purpose for my life!
- I am filled with awe and wonder when I look around at His creation!
- I am blessed with the freedom to worship my God - the Lord Jesus Christ!
How about your list? Are you remembering your blessings from God? Do you feel loaded down with His benefits?
My “blessed benefits” list is going to continue to grow because I am blessed by God! Thank you, Jesus, for your many blessings to me. Even if my circumstances appear dire, I am going to praise your Holy Name! AMEN.