Counting Blessings
I recently celebrated my eightieth birthday and I am thankful to The Almighty for allowing me to live to see it. I did not truly appreciate this blessing until I took time to reflect on my life, viewing it in the context of Divine Revelation.
In scripture we are told, “If you were to try and count the Almmighty’s blessings upon us, never would we be able to count them. (Qur’an 16:18). Also, we find in Deuteronomy 28:2, “And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shall hearken unto the voice of thy Lord thy God.” These verses remind us that obeying divine injunctions yield rewards in our individual, community, and national lives.
We face so many challenges such as achieving individual goals, raising children (especially teenagers), personal health, financial responsibilities, caring for aging parents and moral and ethical society norms that sometimes question our faith. In this milieu it is difficult to see and appreciate the Almighty’s blessings upon us. So, a time for reflection is good.
I recall growing through my teenage years and I, like most youngsters, thought I knew everything. But in retrospect when I was guided by divine decree, the ultimate outcomes of my endeavors were successful, albeit I did not realize this at the time. The same is true of our children and grandchildren. We teach them to reverence the Almighty and are rewarded by watching them grow into fine men and women. Reflecting on our own lives reveals a plethora of blessings that we have received through the years.
I remember the challenges that I faced in school. My first attempt at a university education was unsuccessful, but I continued to patiently persevere while taking care of my family. After forty-eight years, the Almighty rewarded my efforts and I successfully completed my academic pursuits.
Perhaps the greatest blessing that I have witnessed is occurring in our nation today. Our political climate is changing. Men and women are raised to positions of great responsibility by their peers because they are seen as the most qualified. We are living in a time when members of one political party supports the other because the latter offers the most qualified candidate. We may even see a Presidential Cabinet comprised of members from both political parties. Working cooperatively offers the most promising opportunities for our nation. Yes, The Almighty’s blessings abound!
