Remembering God’s Goodness

Trials Often Consume Us

Trials have a way of consuming our thoughts and emotions. It’s easy to get so caught up in the “what-ifs” of tomorrow and the worries of today that we take our eyes off of the God who has control over all things.

Isaiah 46:9-11 says,

Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established and I will accomplish all my good pleasure,’ Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass; I have planned it, surely I will do it. (NASB)

Isaiah is reminding us that we have a sovereign God whose plans will come to pass. We have a God who has already done mighty works that make us stand in awe of who He is. We have a God who is still working in our lives to bring about His purposes.

But, how easy we forget. How quickly our minds get consumed with worry and fear over the circumstances we are facing or the unknowns of the future that we forget the good things God has already done.

Scripture tells us over and over again to remember the works of God.

Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done,
His marvels and the judgments from His mouth

1 Chronicles 16:12 (NASB)

As my family faces ongoing hardship, we are trying to focus on the faithfulness and goodness of God by remembering all of the things He has done for us. The most important being the gift of salvation by faith alone through the work of Christ alone.

Lessons from the Book of Joshua

I love the book of Joshua because we see God’s promise to the Israelites come to pass. They get to enter into the promised land that they had been waiting so long to possess. Before they could conquer the land, though, they had to cross the Jordan River.

Joshua commanded the priests to carry the ark of the covenant to the river and when “the feet of the priests carrying the ark were dipped in the edge of the water… the waters which were flowing down from above stood and rose up in one heap…and the priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan while all Israel crossed on dry ground…” (Joshua 3:15-17)

What did God ask the Israelites to do after they crossed the river? He asked them to set up stones as a reminder to them (and future generations) of what He had done. (Joshua 4)

Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, ‘What do these stones mean to you?’ then you shall say to them, ‘Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off’ So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever.

Joshua 4:6,7 (NASB)

Remembering God’s Goodness

God knows how easily we forget. He knows we need tangible ways to remember His good works. He has given us so many reminders of His power and faithfulness in His Word. Sometimes it also helps to have a physical reminder of God’s goodness right in front of us.

That’s why I decided to create a Stones of Remembrance basket on our fireplace. It’s a physical reminder of the great works God has done in my family’s life.

I gathered some smooth river stones and a couple permanent markers and set them on the fireplace next to a basket. We all took turns thinking back to what God has done for our family over the years. One by one, we wrote these works of God down on rocks and placed them in the basket.

Over the next few days, weeks and months, we have continued to add more stones to our basket as God continues to work in our lives. And when I grow weary and discouraged, all I have to do is walk by that basket and remember all that God has done. I’ll often sit on the fireplace and pull out one stone after another. Each stone being a testimony to the faithfulness and goodness of God.

“Living with Burts” is a reminder of how God provided a place for us to live when we were in between homes.

“Consistent family devotions” testifies to God’s working all things for my family’s good even in the midst of hardship as we spent more consistent time together in God’s Word.

“Christmas gifts when no job” tells of the faithfulness of God to provide through the local body of believers as someone from our church purchased Christmas gifts for my kids.

“Drama team at church” speaks of God’s ability to answer even the simplest of prayers from my teen who wanted an opportunity to participate in drama.

“Good friends and a loving family” is one of my children’s thankfulness to God for putting special people in our lives.

The basket is full of many more ways God has shown Himself to be faithful to my family. And it sits on our fireplace as a reminder to the goodness of God even in the midst of hardship.

Of course, the greatest reminder we have of who God is and what He has done is the Bible. Scripture proclaims the works of God and we would all do well to remember the truths found in its pages.

I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways, I shall delight in Your statues; I shall not forget Your word.

Psalm 119:15,16 (NASB)

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.