Count Your Blessings

It was one of those terrible days in my college life that I didn’t want to face. I was not happy at all. I hadn’t fared well in my exams.

I was sick and in pain as a result of kidney stones.

My friends had let me down, and nothing was working quite right in my life. I started to grumble and ask God why He had created me with so many burdens to bear. Reluctantly, I got dressed to go to my clinical posting at a geriatric home. As I entered the place, I could see the weary and worn-out faces of older adults who looked very dejected. But an older man sitting all alone and blissfully playing the flute caught my attention. I was attracted to the music and went over and sat near him.

He was playing the song “Count Your Blessings,” which encourages you to list your blessings. I started a casual conversation with him and was shocked to learn that he was blind. He told me that his children had rejected him.

His wife had died, and he was alone.

That was the reason he was there. Despite his trials, he bore a calm manner and a loving nature. Thoughts flashed like lightning into my mind.

If a blind older man who has lost his only wife, has been rejected by his children, and lives in a geriatric home has many reasons to count his blessings and thank the Lord, what do I have to complain about in life? That very moment, I changed my perspective about my life and started to thank God for His unmerited favor.

I told God I was sorry for my whining and grumbling.

“If we educated our souls to have more faith, more love, greater patience, a more perfect trust in our heavenly Father, we would have more peace and happiness as we pass through the conflicts of this life. The Lord is not pleased to have us fret and worry ourselves out of the arms of Jesus. He is the only source of every grace, the fulfilment of every promise, the realization of every blessing... Our pilgrimage would indeed be lonely were it not for Jesus. [. . .] Let us cherish His words, believe His promises, repeat them by day and meditate upon them in the night season, and be happy.”* Father, open my eyes that I may see Your blessings, and show me how to be a blessing to others today.

Thank You! In Jesus’ name, amen.

Esther Synthia Murali