EPHESIANS 1:1-3
“When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
The above lyrics were written by Johnson Oatman Jr and may offer the inspiration behind what has become a gratitude journal or keeping a journal of the things we are grateful for. Gratitude journals are used by people who want to focus their attention on the positive things in their lives.
Counting our blessings is not something that comes naturally. It is often easier to count our problems – we are behind on a project, our house needs work, we have a serious health problem, etc.
According to a beautiful Yiddish story, a man lived in a one-room hut with his mother, wife and six children. The hut, as one can imagine, was full of tears and quarrels.It was noisy and difficult to live in. One day, when he felt he could not take it any longer, the man went to his rabbi.
“Rabbi,” he said, “Things are bad and getting worse. I live in a one-room house with my mother, wife and six children. It is too crowded and noisy. Help me out.”
The rabbi thought for a moment. “Do you have a chicken?” He asked. “Yes, of course I do,” the man replied. “Well,” said the rabbi, “take the chicken and bring it home.” “Well, okay,” the man said, even though he was a little surprised.
Imagine what the house looked like now. In addition to the man, his mother, his wife and his six children, there was a hen who constantly clucks. Frustrated, the man returned to the rabbi. “Rabbi, I did what you said, and it is much worse than before. Please help me.”
“Tell me,” the rabbi asked, “do you have a goat?” “Yes, I do,” the man replied. “Excellent,” the rabbi said. “Go home and take him to live with you.” A few days later, life in the hut was even worse. There was crying, fighting, clucking and a goat pushing and beating everyone with its horns.
The man returned to the rabbi. To his surprise, the rabbi ordered him to take his cow to the lodge. That rabbi must be crazy, the man thought. But he did as he was told. The house had become a total chaos.
When he came back to the rabbi for the fourth time, the man shouted, “Help me rabbi, the end of the world has come. There is not even a place in my house to breathe.” The rabbi listened and said, “Now go home, my friend, and get the animals out of your hut.” The man rushed home and did as he was instructed.
That night was the sweetest, most relaxing night he has ever had. Each member of the family slept comfortably and peacefully.
When he returned to the rabbi, the man said, “Rabbi, you have made my life sweet. With only my family in the hut, it is so quiet, so spacious, so peaceful… What a blessing.”
Research has shown that adopting an attitude of gratitude towards life is good for our health and well-being. This is something the disciples of Jesus have always known. Taking the time to reflect on the many ways God supports and encourages us is an exercise that will pay off as we face barriers.
Throughout the history of the Church, much has been written about the depths of despair into which the human heart can sink. In such moments, it is not a good idea to give a motivational speech. Psychologically and physically, life becomes an endurance race, and we are no longer sure we want to compete in it.
When we face dark days, we can begin to count our blessings. We can only deal with them one at a time because we tend to struggle internally with disappointment and even personal despair. Yet, they are like anchor points that will inevitably bring us back to God. While we may argue their reality, they continue to be the stepping stones that will ultimately lead us into the warm embrace of God.
Even today, we can take note of the things we are grateful for and revisit our lists in the “blue mood days”.
🙏Lord Jesus, may we take the time each day to identify the things for which we are to be thankful. Amen.
