Beautiful Blessings

As soon as I woke up that morning, I immediately went to the mirror and checked on my eyebags. I slept early the night before so I could avoid having deep circles under my eyes. But the orbital horror remains. They looked even bigger. No matter how early I sleep or what cream I apply, the bags sag. But just as I was about to sink deep into frustration, a thought perked me up: You still have eyes that make you see, read, and gaze at God’s creation. Shouldn’t you be thankful?

I realized it was a reminder from God. Sometimes I focus on the ugly and the negative that I fail to see the beautiful and the positive. So that morning, instead of dwelling on the sagging bags, I thanked God for my useful eyes. It’s often difficult, but I realize it’s possible to choose to thank God for His beautiful blessings and for the positive things that come along our way.

What do we thank God for? I made here a simple list. Try to fill in the details for every item on the list. Hopefully, by the time we finish our list, we all end up realizing how blessed we are and how good God is.

Thank God for:

1. People and things you already have and enjoy.

2. Things you don’t have, like a disease or a debt (if you don’t have any debt, you have much to be thankful for!).

3. Past events in your life, especially those that brought good memories. But thank God also for the lessons learned even from mistakes and unpleasant trials.

4. His good plans for your life. This may take a while for most of us to accept. It’s easier for us to fear the future or to doubt God’s good intentions. But a loving God promised this: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11) God promised to carry these good plans to those who would dare trust and wait on Him.

"God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say "thank you?"

-William A. Ward