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Devotional | Don Peslis | Jan 9, 2022
O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them. (Psalm 40:5 NLT)
O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
I would never come to the end of them. (Psalm 40:5 NLT)
Well, it’s the beginning of a new year, and with that comes the opportunity for new beginnings and making a fresh start. Every year people around the world make New Year’s resolutions to reach their goals, improve their health, and better their lives.
Many people are successful at keeping resolutions, while others fail.
A recent study shows that of those who make a New Year’s resolution, after one week 75% are still successful in keeping it. After two weeks, the number drops to 71%. And after six months, 46% of people who make a resolution are still successful in keeping it.
What are some common resolutions?
In 2019, one survey found that more than half of Americans wanted to be healthier – 59% wanted to exercise more. The most popular resolutions for 2021 were exercising more and improving fitness (50% of participants), losing weight (48%), saving money (44%), and improving diet (39%).
In any journey, clearly the toughest steps to make are those first few. But another—and often skipped step in any journey—is beginning with a clear and realistic evaluation of where one is at the onset. Knowing exactly where one is helps start any new journey.
So, a great place to start this year would be asking yourself a few simple questions.
Where are you at this point in your life?
What are you thankful for?
What has brought you to this very place?
We used to call this process “counting your blessings.”
The phrase “Count Your Blessings” has been around for a long time. The hymn called “Count Your Blessings” dates back to 1897. Prior to that, John Charles Earle posted a poem with the same title in 1878. It was widespread enough in the 1880s that, even then, it was considered something of a proverb.
There is some anecdotal evidence online that the idiom “Count Your Blessings” is Jewish in origin. There was an ancient Jewish tradition where people would try to get 100 blessings by the end of the day. Counting your blessings would help you stay on track throughout the day. These blessings might be a prayer at a meal or something as simple as paying someone a compliment.
In the Psalms, David writes:
Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
So, let me suggest these three simple steps in starting your 2022 journey off with a great start:
Thank the Lord for exactly where you are: Remember what the Apostle Paul writes, “God causes everything to work together for the good” (Romans 8:28 NLT).
Make a list of what you’re thankful for: Just like the Psalmist writes in Psalm 40, the blessings—they may be “too numerous to list” (Psalms 40:5 NLT).
Thank the Lord for where he’s brought you: And just like the hymn writer of old wrote:
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.
~ Johnson Oatman, 1897
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this new year. Thank you for the fresh start and for the new opportunities that lie ahead. But first, let me thank you for all you’ve done. For where you’ve brought me, my family, my friends. For the many blessings—too numerous to count. For the times I know—and the times I don’t—where you’ve stepped in on my behalf. So, let this year begin here—with all my thanks, with all my gratitude, for your continued love, grace, and mercy in my life. In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
Don Peslis
Chapel Worship Pastor
donpeslis@crossings.church
Don Peslis is the Chapel Worship Pastor. And when asked about the Chapel, he said, "I hope the Chapel feels much like the church you grew up in. Simple. Sacred. And definitely Crossings."