I'll Count My Blessings, verse 2

Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens, Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Psalm 36:5

I thank Him for unclouded skies
For love beyond my ken
That when my path in shadow lies,
The sunshine comes again.
I thank Him for the hopes fulfilled
For every answered plea,
That though life was not all I willed,
My God is good to me!

I just love this time of year when the sunshine comes streaming in the windows, and I wake up to blue skies and bright mornings. I am so thankful for the blessing of spring! After a dark winter, it is a wonderful gift from our Father Creator to have warmer temperatures, bright sunshine, and longer days.

Just like the season of winter, we all have seasons that are dark and cold in our lives. Times when our paths are in shadows. I know it is a comfort to me to know that because of our God and what He has done for us in Christ Jesus, I know the sunshine will come again.

During these times of shadow, the truth of Scripture can encourage and exhort us, and remind us of the bedrocks of our faith. One of our many blessings from our Heavenly Father is love beyond our knowledge and understanding (Ephesians 3:19!) - love that will never leave us or cause us to be separated from Him.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39

Another blessing we have from Him is hopes fulfilled and answered prayer.

For I hope in You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God. Psalm 38:15

In my trouble I cried to the LORD, And He answered me. Psalm 120:1

Even when we are disturbed and in despair, the Scriptures tell us what to do: hope in God, for He holds our future secure.

Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him for the help of His presence. Psalm 42:5

His very presence is our help - and is a tremendous blessing! The gift of the Holy Spirit who indwells all believers is a blessing worthy to be counted!

And here's how it all ties together: we have hope, hope that does not disappoint us, because the love of God which is beyond our knowledge or understanding is poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit!

Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5

Are you counting your blessings? Hope that does not disappoint, the love of God, the gift of the Holy Spirit...

These are blessings that console, comfort and buoy us when life is not what we expect or had planned. When life is not all I willed, I can still praise Him because He is good to me! Sometimes praising is a matter of the will. Sometimes I have to choose to praise Him, I have to choose to count my blessings. But when I choose to praise and to count my blessings, my mind and heart are quickly changed - I no longer think about my plans and my disappointments, but I think about what God has done for me, and how blessed I am to be His!

There will be many times in our lives when things don't go according to our plans. For some, these will be little things, and for others, they will be big things. But no matter the size, quantity or quality of our troubles and challenges, we can say that God is good! We can count our blessings, and hope in the One who gave Himself for us.

I'll Count My Blessings
Words by Carrie Breck

I lift my heart today in praise
To Him who loves me so,
Whose mercy crowneth all my days,
And makes my cup overflow.
O have I loved Him as I should
For all His blessings free?
Praise God who giveth naught but good,
For He is good to me!

Refrain
I’ll count my blessings
Count them o’er and o’er
I’ll tell my Father’s goodness
I will love Him more,
I’ll count my blessings, bountiful and free
Yet I can never count them all
So good is God to me!

I thank Him for unclouded skies
For love beyond my ken
That when my path in shadow lies,
The sunshine comes again.
I thank Him for the hopes fulfilled
For every answered plea,
That though life was not all I willed,
My God is good to me!

I go to meet another year,
With faith no doubt can dim,
God reigneth, and I will not fear,
But trust my way with Him.
Then if that way be bright or dark,
Let peace unshaken be!
And let me, like the soaring lark,
Sing "God is good to me!"