A Heart Filled With A Song

A Song In Our Heart

COUNTING EVERY BLESSING (a song to fill our hearts with)

I’ve always loved the hymn, Count Your Many Blessings. The words to this beloved hymn were written by Johnson Oatman, Jr. back in the 1800s! Can you imagine how many lives it’s touched since then?!? It’s a song I’ve sung countless times throughout my life, a song I grew up on, and it’s still a song I come back to often. It puts a smile on my face, and warms my heart, every single time it’s sung!! So, when Rend Collective came out with their song, Counting Every Blessing, you might understand just how it touched my heart.

When we take the time to count our blessings one by one we get to see just what the Lord has, and is, doing – it’s pure amazement!! Friends, every season He is good to us!!

Bible Dig For Counting Blessings

Did you know there are so many wonderful verses, in the Bible, to meditate on when it comes to counting blessings?!? As I was exploring them, I was excited to read the Life Application Bible notes associated with Psalms 34 and wanted to share what I found with you.

Friends, God is aware of what is going on in each and every one of His children’s lives!!

Counting blessings really does change a Believer’s perspective, it’s helpful to be reminded that not all blessings come in the form of “material” gain. The life application notes help shine the light on the variety of blessings God graces us with; they shine a light on the blessings that David wrote about in this Psalm. In fact, many of God’s blessings we read about in this particular Psalm are the little moments we sometimes miss because we’re too busy living for ourselves. I just love how the notes dissect each one of the encouraging blessings found in this Psalm.

What are you waiting for?? Dig in a little deeper!! Take your time going through each of the verses referenced below. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you. Allow Him to shine the light on the blessings you personally may be taking for granted or completely forgotten about. It’s always good to recenter your thoughts on God, counting one by one ALL the blessings He bestows upon you! So, fill up!!

“God promises great blessings to His people, but many of these blessings require active participation. He will set us free from our fears (34:4, 6), guard and defend us (34:7), show us goodness (34:8), supply our needs (34:9), listen when we call to Him (34:15), and redeem us (34:22), but we must do our part.”

Life Application Bible, ©2004, p.877

Friends, God’s blessings are real, active, and available to His children! But, it starts with us! We have to be ready and willing. The notes go on to say…

“We can appropriate His blessings when we trust Him (34:4, 10); cry out to Him (34:6, 17); take refuge in Him (34:8); fear Him (34:9); refrain from lying (34:13); turn from evil, do good, and search for peace (34:14); are brokenhearted (34:18); and serve Him (34:22).”

Life Application Bible, ©2004, p.877

Through God’s power and strength we can claim the things mentioned in these life application notes as our own! As Believers, we are set apart and when we choose to live a life according to God’s will we are blessed beyond measure.

Let’s fill our hearts with this song believing…

God’s blessings overflow! We’ve been given a hope and a future!!! This is exciting stuff! So, let go and trust, because when we take the time to count our blessings we see God. We see what’s He’s doing for us, in us, and around us.

Oh, taste and see!!

Count those blessings!!

God is so, so good to us!!

Wanna keep filling up?!?

I mentioned above that there are so many wonderful verses, in the Bible, to meditate on when it comes to counting blessings. Friends, God’s blessings abound, so open your Bible and fill your heart! Here’s a few verses, and Scripture passages, to get you started –

• Psalms 103:1, 2
• James 1:17
• Colossians 3:2
• Philippians 4:19
• Ephesians 1:3-6 (Spiritual Blessings)
• Deuteronomy 28:1-14 (Blessings for Obedience)
• Matthew 5:3-12 (Beatitudes)

This list is just a starting point, there’s more to be discovered if you allow the Holy Spirit to direct your search. May you fill up on the encouragement you need to keep pressing forward, always with your heart centered on God, as you count your blessings one by one!

REFERENCES: Song Title-Counting Every Blessing; Authors-Gareth Gilkeson, Chris Llewellyn, Ali Gilkeson, Patrick Thompson, Bridget Herron, Steve Mitchell, Will Herron; Publish Date-2018

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