The year-end is here again. I took my journal and sat on my favorite armed chair at the balcony. It has been my own personal tradition to re-read my life book and list down all of my accomplishments, blessings and failures throughout the year. 

For most of the time, I thought I failed to perform most of my goals and responsibilities. With this thing in my mind, I expect to have lesser accomplishments than failures. I wrote the label Blessings on one page and Failures on another page. Then, I started scanning from the first to the last leaf of my journal. Surprisingly, I got four pages back to back for Blessings and only a page for Failures. Yet, I have only listed the most major events. There could have been many other more for the list. Somehow, I was glad to realize this. This year is not that bad after all because it is stupendous, a lot of good things happened. There have been times when I prayed for certain people, for the ministry, and for my own personal longings and there have been many times that God had answered my prayers. I am awestruck by the hand of God working.

Reflection:

In many cases in life, we are too focused on the troubles, disappointments and discouragements that only pass by. We are so mused at the pain we get from those bad days that we tend to forget all of the many blessings we received. We fail to remember that these storms are just temporary and God’s blessings are permanent. We fail to see the goodness and this stray us away from God’s joy.

I was reminded of the good old hymn:

“Count your blessings, name them one by one

  Count your blessings, see what God has done ”

It is by counting your blessings that you see how marvelous God is. It is there that we know God indeed answers prayers and our joy is filled.

John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.