Virgil Lee, Senior Pastor, New Life Church
Hello Robson Ranch,
As a child, I remember being told that I should count sheep when I couldn’t fall asleep. The idea was to distract my mind and refocus it on something repetitive and mindless. Most times, I’d get bored, lose track of my count, and have to start over. The result? I was sleepless—and sheepless.
Later in life, someone encouraged me to try something different; instead of counting sheep, count my blessings. This concept was made famous in the Christmas classic White Christmas, with Bing Crosby singing, “When I’m worried and I can’t sleep, I count my blessings instead of sheep.” That made more sense to me than repeating sheep. Thanking God for His goodness shifted my perspective in a powerful way.
In our world today, it’s easy to focus on everything going wrong: problems, stress, the lack of peace. But as followers of Jesus, we’re invited to focus on the solution, not the problem. We can thank God for what He is doing, even when life feels uncertain.
Is it easy? Not at all. Why? Because we’re human. We tend to let our emotions become our measure of truth. However, Scripture reminds us that God’s Word—not our feelings—is the foundation of truth. His Word stands firm, even when our world feels shaky.
So, how do we move from knowing we’re blessed to living like we’re blessed? That’s the challenge. You’ve probably heard people say they’re “blessed,” yet everything about their life (or their attitude) says otherwise. On the other hand, you may know someone who lives with a quiet joy and peace, no matter what they face. They carry themselves with grace, with a song in their heart and a hope in their eyes. That’s the fruit of someone truly living blessed.
Psalm 112:1 (NKJV) says, “Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments.” To fear and delight in God’s commands isn’t about passive belief; it’s about active obedience. It means aligning your life with His Word, even when it’s uncomfortable.
At New Life, we’re in a message series called Counter-Culture, exploring the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3–10. Each week, we’re learning about what it truly means to live blessed. Jesus’ words seem upside-down: “Blessed are the poor … the meek … the persecuted.” It challenges everything the world tells us about happiness and success.
Jesus didn’t come as a warrior king. He came as a humble servant. And many missed Him because He didn’t meet their expectations. We often make the same mistake. We expect blessings to look like comfort, wealth, or power, but Jesus offers something deeper.
Living a blessed life isn’t automatic, it’s a daily choice. When we choose to count our blessings and live according to God’s Word, we experience the joy and peace of the Kingdom, even in a chaotic world.
So, tonight, if sleep escapes you, skip the sheep. Start counting your blessings. And, more importantly, live them out.
Be blessed.