Ask someone what they’re thankful for and it’s usually one or two things and/or hard to think of. Ask someone what is going wrong in their life and you’ll probably be there for a few minutes. Our problems, in our mind, tend to weigh more than our blessings. The smallest problem could outweigh the largest blessing. Most people are pessimistic about their own life, and I am one of them. I let the darkness and worries of my problems consume me. I dwell so much on it that I often forget what I have to be thankful for.
I’m sure many can relate to this. You lay down in your bed at night and your mind slowly drifts to many thoughts. For many of us those thoughts are about the problems we’re facing, the rude words spoken to us that day, and even thoughts of self hate. You feel hopeless. Falling into a pit of nothing, our worries consuming our mind as we eventually fall asleep. We don’t love the feeling of our world caving in on us, so how do we change that? We focus on our blessings, the good things in life. We focus on God.
A great way to start is by reading Psalms. It is filled with so much hope and joy!
Psalm 68:19 – Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
Psalm 40:1-3 – I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.
Psalm 46:1-3 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.
Psalm 27:10 – When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.
Psalm 48:14 – For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death.
And one last Psalm to give your heart a new cry, a cry of praise!
Psalm 150:6 – Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.
With Thanksgiving quickly approaching and Christmas soon to follow, we need to take the time to focus on the blessings that God has bestowed upon us.