Remembering God's Goodness This Thanksgiving SeasonНамуна

Christians draw from the well of our memories and histories to find refreshment in God’s track record of faithfulness. Throughout Scripture, God’s people remember God’s works, promises, and character. It’s not simply a way to swap stories and remember the good ole’ times. God’s people must remember because they need to look back to find grounds to trust in God.

Psalm 105 opens with David encouraging the Israelites to remember God’s wondrous works and show gratitude to Him for those works. As this historical psalm progresses, it remembers God’s mighty and gracious deeds in Israel and on their behalf. David moves from Abraham (6) to the wilderness (12) to Joseph (16) to Moses and the Exodus (26). Our history anchors our theology and faith. David reaches back into Israel’s story to remind them who God is for the sake of reminding them who He will be forever.

Many of our faith-fueling lessons are forged in hardship. We remember God’s presence when we were alone, and we give thanks. God supplied the strength and might when we had nothing left to give. Our gratitude grows as we bring to mind those times God delivered us when we felt doomed. Every believer’s story includes countless crossroads where we wondered how we could get beyond this. And yet, as we see in hindsight, each time God was there. He proved Himself faithful and strong for us.

The gift of remembrance helps individuals, but it also serves communities—whether a family, church, friends or a town. Starting at the personal level, one thing we can do is store up memories of God’s works. Write them down. Log them in your memory. This provides reasons to give thanks for what God’s done and reasons to trust what He will do. Faith in God increases through piling up the memories of his faithfulness.

This should also shape how we view the way we encourage those around us, including in parenting, mentoring, and discipleship. Whether it’s with your own kids, or with another believer, all of us can pass on a living faith by sharing stories of God’s goodness, might, and kindness in our own lives. Yes, we teach them the Bible, but we also tell them ways God proved His Word in our stories. We see this emphasized throughout the Bible as one generation commends God’s works to another (Ps. 145:4).

Whether as parents, colleagues, mentors or as fellow believers, Christians can disciple one another through practicing grateful remembrance. When and where did God prove faithful? What trials did you walk through and how did God sustain, comfort, and even use you for good? How can you share thanksgiving and stir up thanksgiving by recalling what God has done? What memories of God’s mercy and kindness will you pass on?