How do you count what you cannot see? Counting the unseen can refer to being aware of what’s missing or overlooked due to that same focus. This is a direct result of selective attention. Selective attention is your brain’s ability to focus on certain information while ignoring other input. Have you ever had an area that you drive through regularly, then one day you are the passenger. When this happens you will typically see things that you have never seen because when you drive you are focused on the road and traffic. The same principle applies as to why you can walk into a crowded room looking for a seat and totally overlook someone that you know, because you aren’t looking for them. This is selective attention.
Selective attention isn’t a bad thing, but part of human nature. We focus on what is at hand. Often though it causes us to overlook things that do matter. We look at the dishes in the sink, upset that we have to wash dishes. While overlooking that our family is fed. We look at clothes that need to be folded and put up. While overlooking that we have clothes to wear. We look at the job that we have to go to. While overlooking that our bills are paid and we have a roof over our heads. We look at our life that seems repetitive with work, kids, what to cook, bills, and repeat. While we overlook that we get to spend this life with the ones that we love. We get to come home and see each other.
These are blessings that we often don’t count. These are many times the results of what we have prayed for. If we prayed to have a family, guess what. It comes with bills, cleaning house, and quite honestly some chaos. We prayed for a better job and it comes with more responsibility, more work, longer hours. Then there are the prayers answered that we just don’t count. How many times have you prayed for your family to come home safe and they did? How many times have you prayed for protection and everything turned out fine?
When your loved one walks in the door after and you are running around the house trying to get everything done. Don’t forget that you prayed for them to come home safe. When the dishes need to be washed. Don’t forget that full feeling in your belly. When the bill comes due. Don’t forget that you aren’t sleeping on the street. When you are just living life day to day. Don’t forget that God has done so much for you in one single day that you may never know that He did.
Psalm 68:19 KJV Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.