Ade's latest blog reminds us of how to be thankful when looking back on the ups and downs of 2021.
Continue to listen or read this article below:
As I write this blog, we only have one more day until the beginning of the New Year. It has been a year to remember for different reasons as you can imagine. Before 2020 I had no idea of what C-19 was. Nor the manifesto of "black lives matter".
The world is not the same socially, economically, or politically. Fear and unbelief have overshadowed the earth. Looking at the eyes of people, I can see uncertainty about what the future holds for them.
When the government first announced the national lockdown, I wasn't sure what the impact was going to be for me or the people around me. Nevertheless, I was quietly confident that everything was going to be okay.
Because of the nature of my job, I didn't experience the lockdown like most people. I could go out and come in as I wanted. The only impact that the lockdown had on me was not seeing my brothers and sisters in the faith physically. One thing that kept me positive through the lockdown and 2020 was revisiting life before the pandemic.
By reaching into my memory bank and recalling my amazing experiences with God and people. I was able to have hope and a better perspective on the current situation and what is to come. Hope and an abundant mindset is a good source of strength and sanity.
There are many things that we can be downhearted about when we recall 2020. But one thing we cannot forgo is our blessing from above. Recalling what the God of the universe has given us is such a confident booster in our time of need.
There is a song that I remembered when I was about to type this blog. It sums up my thinking very well. The lyrics are as follows:
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.
Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Discouragement detaches us from our core beliefs in the ability of God to save and deliver us from every situation. For us, this should mean that God will preserve us during this current situation too. Amid the plagues in Egypt, God preserved Israel and delivered them from the dictatorship of the king of Egypt.
Remembering the ability of God to deliver us, is such a powerful thought that will anchor us not only now but also going forward.
So my encouragement is to remember to count your blessings and name them one by one. Focus your eyes on Jesus, our wonderful liberator and King.
