What Blessings Are You Counting?

As a young woman, I often sang the song, “Count Your Blessings.” But it took me many years to understand the strong connection between gratitude and practical contentment.

TRUTH TALK Insight: It’s important to identify what blessings from God might look like.

Counting from a Biblical Perspective

The Bible teaches in Hebrews 13:5,

“be content with what you have.” (Hebrews 13:5).

As a young girl, I wanted a Chatty Cathy® because all my friends had one. I got one for Christmas, and promptly broke the “chatty” mechanism! I was not very happy. And before long, I was greedily searching for another something to impress my friends.

It took me a long time to understand that things can’t satisfy, and even longer to realize they aren’t the measure of our lives. Later, I had to deal with comparisons about my ministry and “influence.”

Our Father never meant for us to measure our lives solely by our abundance of possessions, positions, or power—even though there is nothing wrong with those things in themselves. Those might be God-given blessings that God wants us to pursue in some situations. But in other situations, they might actually be a hindrance to, or distraction from, how God truly wants to bless us.

In other words, What God uses to bless others might not be how He wants to bless us.

The culture feeds into our warped thinking about what is valuable—accumulating more things. . . gaining more influence. . . exerting more control. But Christians who know the Bible live from a different perspective.

God measures our lives by: 

1. our FAITHFULNESS—obedience to His will and commands;
2. our FOCUS on what matters—seeking God, building our key relationships, and growth in holiness and good character;
3. and our FRUITFULNESS for the Kingdom—how we wisely invest our lives and assets for His glory and the good of others.

I’ve noticed that most of the times I’ve been discontent, my eyes are on what others have (possessions, positions, power). Comparisons are a trap from the evil one! They can lead to envy and jealousy—two nasty attitudes.

In “Jealousy Comes from Counting Others’ Blessings Instead of Your Own,” Josh Becker wrote, “If we spent 0% of our thoughts looking at the things of others, there would be no root for envy to grow upon. If we just loved people for being people, rather than comparing our fortunes to theirs, jealousy would lack the oxygen to survive.”

Then Becker makes this statement: “Gratitude shifts our focus from what we lack to what we have. It spurs thankfulness and contentment rather than jealousy and envy.”

Do you see it? GRATITUDE is the key! The Word of God encourages gratitude in every situation. It’s an intentional perspective shift that encourages us to: (1) be thankful for the true blessings of God in Christ; and (2) discipline ourselves to measure our lives in ways that He does.

One of the most powerful thoughts I’ve had on this whole issue of gratitude and contentment is to look to Jesus who saved me (Hebrews 12:2). We are all sinners. But when we are saved and changed by the gift of God’s grace—by believing in and receiving what Jesus has accomplished for us—we enjoy the most incredible blessing! God WANTS us to be truly grateful for His blessings, starting with His Son.

ALL other blessings pale in comparison to what the Father has done for us in sending Jesus. I want to consider everything in this life in light of that important truth.

What Blessings Are YOU Counting?

Pause with me a minute and honestly answer these questions.

(1) Are you counting the blessings of others’ possessions? Others’ homes, cars, home furnishings, bank account, trips, and so on? (2) Are you counting the blessings others enjoy in regard to their positions, opportunities, speaking engagements, “open doors,” etc.? (3) Are you counting someone’s power over others—their apparent control that makes you feel smaller or less valuable?

Oh, you can be thankful for others’ blessings, for sure. But the minute you start comparing those blessings to your own situation, you open the door for those nasty attitudes I wrote about earlier.

I’ll be honest. I need to check my heart for ingratitude and discontent often!

Stop Counting Others’ Blessings!

These three steps are a much wiser way to live—leading to contentment, peace, and many true, wonderful blessings:

• Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
• Understand why He died for you and count all your blessings from God in light of the Savior’s great sacrifice. 
• Discipline your life to be faithful, focused, and fruitful.

Can you see how those actions lead to blessings that will last for eternity?

What can you do to intentionally change your perspective to be more grateful for the gifts God has given you, and to be more content?