The Lord is my strength, my song, my salvation.
We are incredibly blessed in this life. I’m surrounded by so much good—people who love me, and countless blessings that I often take for granted. I don’t count them all, but I should. I should be thankful. Yet, so often, my focus shifts to the problems. I worry, I fret, and then I worry some more about things that are out of my control.
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” Philippians 4:6 NLT
I don’t like that I keep falling into the habit of worrying, and I don’t think God does either. He calls me to focus on the good, to trust in His provision, and to rest in the assurance that He is in control. He wants me to have faith and stand firm on it. And I do—until something goes wrong. Then doubt creeps in, and the cycle of worry starts all over again. Time and time again, I forget His goodness and the ways He has provided for me in the past.
Yet, despite my flaws, He continues to show me mercy, grace, and love that I don’t deserve. He is patient. He is kind. He is faithful.
“Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough?” Psalm 106:1-2 NLT
These verses are beautiful reminders of God’s goodness. But if you read further into Psalm 106, you’ll see a stark picture of human nature—our tendency to forget God’s faithfulness when life gets hard. Time and time again, God rescued His people, demonstrated His power, and delivered them. They praised Him in those moments.
“Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise. Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel! In the wilderness, their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland.”
Psalm 106:12-14 NLT
As the chapter continues, it tells of a repeated cycle: God would deliver His people, and they’d respond with faithfulness for a time. But as soon as they faced difficulty, they’d turn their backs on Him.
It’s easy to praise God on the mountaintop—to look back at the valley you’ve come through and see His goodness. But it’s much harder to offer that same praise when you’re in the valley, trudging through the challenges of life. Yet that’s exactly what we’re called to do. We’re called to be thankful—not just in the good times, but always.
“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT
As Thanksgiving approaches, I encourage you to take some time to reflect on God’s faithfulness in your life. Write down the things He’s brought you through. Make a list of the good in your life, no matter how small it may seem.
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” James 1:17 NLT
God gives us good things—not just material blessings, but life itself and life in abundance. My prayer is that I would learn to trust Him more and to praise Him in all circumstances. He is so faithful, even when we fall short.
This season, let’s look for the good. Let’s think back on what He’s delivered us from and praise Him for all He has done.