God has provided for us, protected us, forgiven us, instructed us, disciplined us, been longsuffering toward us, and showered His kindness upon us in Christ. How can we not be thankful for all that we have received from His loving and merciful hand! Above all blessings He has showered on us, He has made us citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, heirs of eternal life, and His sons and daughters through the saving work of Jesus Christ.
If you grew up in a Christian home, you almost certainly sang a number of hymns as a child that have stuck with you (for good or ill) throughout your life. I distinctly remember singing the chorus to the hymn, “Count Your Blessings,” with my sister in the back of our parents’ car. The last two lines of the chorus seemed to play on repeat in my little mind: “Count your blessings, name them one by one; count your many blessings see what God has done.” There is a world of theological wisdom in that short stanza. Imagine how much fuller our Christian lives and service would be if we would simply count God’s many blessings—giving Him thanks for each of them. When we return true heartfelt thanksgiving to God for the blessings that He has bountifully given us, further benefits develop. Consider the following:
1. Greater Contentment in Christ. Contentment is a rare commodity in this fallen world. It is not something to which we naturally gravitate. We sometimes foolishly allow ourselves to think that if we simply had a better job, more money, a bigger house, a more loving spouse, or even a better church, we would be content. However, our outward circumstances will never improve the inward condition of our hearts. The Apostle Paul explained the secret to contentment, when he wrote,
“I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Phil. 4:11–13).
If the great Apostle Paul had to learn contentment in Christ, how much more do we! The first step toward learning contentment, is to learn to be thankful for who God is and what He has done for us. The Puritan, Jeremiah Burroughs, wrote, “God expects that every day you should spend some time in blessing His name for what mercy He has granted to you. There is not one of you in the lowest condition, but you have an abundance of mercies to bless God for.” God has provided for us, protected us, forgiven us, instructed us, disciplined us, been longsuffering toward us, and showered His kindness upon us in Christ. How can we not be thankful for all that we have received from His loving and merciful hand! Above all blessings He has showered on us, He has made us citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, heirs of eternal life, and His sons and daughters through the saving work of Jesus Christ.
