6.23- Gratefulness. When our minds are working well we remember all the great blessings we enjoy.

 6.23-

Gratefulness. When our minds are working well we remember all the great blessings we enjoy. What causes us to forget? Our temptation is to focus on what we don't have that we want. We see that others have things and we don't. We assume that they have things without any burdens. We see their blessings, but we don't know their burdens. Without reflection we feel our burdens and overlook our blessings.

If you have a life with good food and clean water you are highly blessed. If you have a spouse and children and grandchildren who love you then you are fortunate indeed. If you have a house that is cool in the summer and warm in the winter then you are ahead of many in the world. If you are free to move about and walk or ride or drive to go where you want to go then you are advantaged. What if you are a citizen of a nation that honors human rights and the rule of law then you are privileged beyond many around the world.

God has favored and blessed many of us. I hope to remember to be thankful on the other 364 days of the year. If you are taught to be grateful by God who has adopted you as His child, then you are doubly blessed. God help me to count my many blessings and name them one by one.

Psalm 136

136 Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His [a]faithfulness is everlasting.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
4 To Him who alone does great [b]wonders,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
5 To Him who made the heavens [c]with skill,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
6 To Him who spread out the earth above the waters,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
7 To Him who made the great lights,
For His faithfulness is everlasting:
8 The sun to rule [d]by day,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
9 The moon and stars to rule [e]by night,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.

10 To Him who struck [f]the Egyptians, that is, their firstborn,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
11 And brought Israel out from their midst,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
12 With a strong hand and an outstretched arm,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
13 To Him who divided the [g]Red Sea in parts,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
14 And allowed Israel to pass through the midst of it,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
15 But He [h]overthrew Pharaoh and his army in the [i]Red Sea,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
16 To Him who led His people through the wilderness,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
17 To Him who struck great kings,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
18 And brought death to [j]mighty kings,
For His faithfulness is everlasting:
19 Sihon, king of the Amorites,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
20 And Og, king of Bashan,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
21 And gave their land as an inheritance,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
22 An inheritance to His servant Israel,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.

23 Who remembered us in our lowliness,
For His faithfulness is everlasting,
24 And has rescued us from our enemies,
For His faithfulness is everlasting;
25 Who gives food to all flesh,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.
26 Give thanks to the God of heaven,
For His faithfulness is everlasting.