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The Count Your Blessing Rule

The CYB ‘Count Your Blessing’ Rule

One day in the shower (which is coincidentally where a number of my thoughts occur), I distinctly heard the words ‘Count your blessings’. Being the special chorister that I am (not), I burst into singing ‘Count your blessings, name them one by one’. Then I heard the voice again ‘No Toun, COUNT your blessings’. And then it hit me and I proceeded to do just that. I named all blessings I could remember from the start of the year – for me, my husband, my son, my family, my friends, my businesses, my gifts/talents, my ideas, everything.

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Whilst I was speaking, I became overwhelmed and started crying. I was vulnerable and my heart was sensitive again. I forgot about me. I forgot about my never- ending needs. I forgot about unanswered prayers. At that point, God had me exactly where He wanted me to be with just a simple statement. I was only glad that for once, I was able to hear and immediately obey.

Usually, I tend to be grateful only when specific things happen, taking for granted the many things God was working on behind the scenes of my life. And if things didn’t go as planned (by me), I would fuss and react either by pitying myself or by trying to ‘help’ God speed up the process of things. Both actions never helped me feel better in the long run and I always ended up looking back with regret over my response.

Now I try to use the rule as many times as I remember to get me out of any terrible feelings of heaviness, despair, dissatisfaction, hopelessness, unanswered prayers, waiting, you name it. The alternative is to stay in a place of constant gratitude, appreciation, brokenness and ‘flowers’. I know which of them I’d prefer. Which would you? A line from a Yoruba song ‘O sore mele gbagbe o Baba’ – meaning ‘You’ve done things I can’t/wouldn’t forget Father’

So let us remember to always pause and always count your blessing.

Contributed by Toun Deji-Anjous

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