Remembering God's Faithfulness

Written by Madeline McGee

“All my life You have been faithful,

All my life You have been so, so good,

With every breath that I am able,

Oh, I’m gonna sing of the goodness of God.”

Over the past several years of my twenty-something year old life, I’ve found

myself almost subconsciously repeating these lyrics aloud in different times and

circumstances. Sometimes as a joyful response to God’s provision, a clearly

answered prayer or just a moment of gratitude for the beauty of life. Sometimes

as a quiet proclamation of my Father’s faithfulness and goodness, even in the

midst of sadness, disappointment or fear. And sometimes these words rise up

more as a desperate cry from within, an effort to remind myself of what is true

when it feels hard to remember.

One of the most rewarding practices in my spiritual journey has been (and still is)

reflecting on and remembering where I have seen God’s faithfulness and

goodness show up in my life. A prayer for friendship that he answered when I

was feeling lonely. Financial provision in a hard time. Healing and forgiveness

after years of praying over a broken family relationship. A clear reminder of His

“withness” in a moment where anxiety felt all consuming. An elementary school

friend coming to faith after a decade of prayer.

As I take the time to begin naming these things, out loud or on paper, feelings of

joy and gratitude start to break through. I notice that these feelings that started

off just as feelings oftentimes will result in something even greater within me-- a

deep knowing that God is good and He is trustworthy. He has poured out His

goodness and faithfulness time and time again, if only I will pause to see it. This

practice of reflection and remembrance is growing in me a well-rooted hope that

even when I feel like I cannot see clearly in my present circumstances, I still

know the God who is with me. I know His faithfulness. I know His goodness. And

I know He is with me and that He loves me.

And the same God who has been faithful in my life loves you; He is the same

God who has been and will be faithful in your life too. A friend recently reminded

me of the last verse of the 23 rd Psalm: “Surely your goodness and love will follow

me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” As

believers in Christ, beloved by our Father, we can hold onto these words, even

when life feels busy, uncertain or just “too much” at times. We can know that our

God is good; He is faithful; and that He is not only with us in the here and now,

but He has invited us to dwell with Him in His house forever.

Let’s encourage one another to continue in a regular pausing and naming of what

the Lord has done for us, that we might see more clearly who God is and where

He is at work in our lives. Let’s do this not only for our own encouragement and

hope, but that together we might sing of the goodness of God to clearly show

God’s glory to those around us as well.

“Come and hear, all you who fear God; let me tell you what he has done for

me…Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from

me.” Psalm 66:16,20