As we all know, the rush of hard work, heavy emotions and long days while wallowing in the deep swamp of a trial can be a very difficult burden on us.

But that Friday night I was stopped in my tracks and started counting the abundant blessings that God had surrounded my family with. Considering and meditating on these blessings, I soon realized that this abundance I was pondering included items from only a couple of days. Wow!

I had been giving God credit, but not nearly the praise that I should have (Psalm 63:3; Philippians 4:8). I scrambled for a piece of paper and started listing these true blessings one by one. I started with that Friday evening, the beginning of the Sabbath. As I worked backward through the week, viewing each day to the previous Sabbath, I had a lengthy list of many blessings and answered prayers that occurred during one short week of my physical life.

My focus and my vision quickly changed. I had definitely known before making “the list of blessings” that God was with us through the opportunity of growth that we were in. But now my swampy walk had changed to a walk of very deep gratitude and appreciation to my Father in heaven. An attitude of humble, loving gratitude, while rejoicing for my surroundings and His deep loving-kindness and wisdom, quickly overcame the mire of the deep swamp (Philippians 4:11).

Since that first list was completed, I have now begun many Sabbaths by writing down my list. I relax, ponder and meditate on God’s very goodness while stepping into the beginning of a Sabbath. Viewing His weekly blessings has been a very peaceful and wonderful beginning to the Holy Day of the week (Philippians 4:7, 19). I have found that these weekly lists have completely changed my perspective and my focus (Proverbs 10:22).

I hope that this small thought can help you out in your swampy walk as much as it has me. Enjoy a most beautiful sunset, while stepping into the Sabbath and counting the many treasured blessings of one short week of your life.