小時候，我很喜歡《數算主恩》這首古老的詩歌。歌詞是鼓勵人們，即使「遇見苦難如同大波浪」，甚至「幾乎要絕望」，但「主的恩典樣樣都要數」。多年後，每當我丈夫艾崙灰心喪氣時，他常會要我唱這首輕快的詩歌給他聽。然後，我會跟他一起數算他所擁有的恩典。如此一來，艾崙不再只看到自己的困境，也不再自我懷疑，而是把心思專注於上帝，細數感恩的理由。

以斯拉記描述上帝的子民在面對巨大的挑戰時，會專注於上帝的大能和供應。在猶太人被擄到巴比倫的數十年後，波斯王塞魯士允許他們返回以色列重建聖殿（1-2章）。但僅有少數人回歸故土（2章64節），儘管他們懼怕當地的居民，承擔艱鉅的任務，他們還是重建了祭壇，奠定了聖殿的根基（3章3、10節）。「他們彼此唱和，讚美稱謝耶和華說：『祂本為善，祂向以色列人永發慈愛！』他們讚美耶和華的時候，眾民大聲呼喊，因耶和華殿的根基已經立定」（11節）。

如果你感到沮喪或面對看似無法克服的障礙，記得要將你的心思轉向上帝。就像這首詩歌的歌詞說：「若把主的恩典從頭數一數，必能叫你驚訝立時樂歡呼。」如今，上帝仍為愛祂的人行奇妙的事。

When I was a little girl, I loved the old hymn “Count Your Blessings.” The song encourages those who are “tempest-tossed” and “thinking all is lost” to “count your blessings, name them one by one.” Years later when my husband, Alan, was discouraged, he would often ask me to sing that simple song to him. Then I would help him to enumerate his blessings. Doing so took Alan’s focus off his struggles and self-doubt and centered his thoughts on God and his reasons for thankfulness.

The book of Ezra describes God’s people facing overwhelming challenges through focusing on God’s power and provision. After they’d endured decades of captivity in Babylon, King Cyrus allowed the Jewish exiles to return to Israel to rebuild the temple (Ezra 1-2). Only a fraction returned (2:64). Despite their “fear of the peoples around them” and the great task before them, they rebuilt the altar and laid the temple’s foundation (3:3, 10). Then “with praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord: ‘He is good; his love toward Israel endures forever.’ And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord” (v. 11).

If you’re discouraged or facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles, turn your thoughts toward God. “Count your blessings . . . and it will surprise you what the Lord has done,” and continues to do, for those who love Him.