Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things he does for me. - Psalm 103:2 NLT

Not too long ago I was cleaning out my closet and I stumbled upon a pile of prayer journals that I had kept from years past, some from 20 years ago!

I spent much of the day sitting on the floor, thumbing through the journals, and it didn’t take long before I started to have tears steaming down my face. My heart began to swell with thanksgiving as I looked back at the faithfulness of God, and recounted the good things He has done in my life.

Much like all of you, I have gone through some very difficult times in my life. Reading through my journals reminded me how faithful God has been to walk me through each season that I was in.

Reflecting back, I remember that there were times that I honestly didn’t know how I would make it through. There were also times that I doubted how God could redeem something that seemed so lost, hopeless, or broken in my life. And yet, it didn’t matter what I was going through, God continuously showed Himself strong on my behalf.

Another thing that I began to notice as I went through my journals was how my trust in the Lord began to develop with each passing year. Each season of life brought a new dependence on God, and my faith began to grow as a response to His faithfulness in my life.

As we know from our human relationships, the more we grow with someone and learn that we can trust them, the more we know that they can be depended on in the future. In the same way, when we walk with the Lord and learn to trust in Him, we will see His faithfulness and learn to depend on Him in every situation.

When we recount the good things He has done, we abound in hope knowing that if He redeemed our circumstances once, He will do it again!

Regardless of your circumstances, I would encourage you to recount the good things God has done for you. Being thankful allows us to look past our temporary circumstances and get our minds stayed on the Lord. In turn, this brings about an awareness of God’s presence and brings His peace to our everyday lives. There is hope in Thanksgiving!