Remember God’s Goodness In Your Life
Parents of young children know that raising children requires giving instructions like don’t talk with your mouth full, say please and thank you, don’t slam the door, and don’t lick the dog like it’s an ice cream cone. Parents also know that they can’t say these instructions once and be confident that the child will remember. They have to repeat them over and over ad nauseam.
One of the most frequently used words throughout Scripture is “remember.” This tells me that when it comes to knowing the truths in Scripture, we have the same need to be reminded. The ups and downs of life have a way of giving us scripture amnesia. Here’s how a life of faith requires a life of boldness.
Praise is one of the best ways to make a habit of reminding ourselves about the goodness of God. The Psalmist writes, “Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me” (Psalm 103:1-2).
The remainder of that chapter lists all of the good things. Here are 15 reminders of the goodness of God from Psalm 103:
1) He forgives all my sins.
I hope I never lose the wonder of the power of the cross. Jesus died on the cross as a sacrifice for our sins. Forgiveness is a reminder that nothing can separate us from the love of God.
2) He heals all my diseases.
The Lord is the great physician. There have been times that I’ve read that phrase and quickly thought about all the people I prayed for that didn’t get healed like I thought they should. But Scripture reminds us that sickness and disease do not have the final word. Ultimate healing is found in Jesus.
3) He lifts me out of the pit of despair.
Psalm 40:1-2 says, “I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.”
4) He shows unconditional love.
Unconditional love means conditions do not limit God’s love. We cannot earn it or do anything to deserve it. Instead, we can thank God for it.
5) His mercies are brand new every morning.
Whatever happened yesterday does not disqualify us from experiencing God’s mercies today.
6) His blessings truly satisfy.
Nothing in this world will satisfy like the blessings from the Lord.
7) He renews my strength like an eagle.
The eagle is known to soar above the storms by using the gale-force winds to rise above. There’s a lesson in there for us. Don’t avoid or ignore storms, but rise above, knowing his strength is made perfect in weakness.
8) He defends the one who has been mistreated.
God is on our side. Learn how the peace of God can rule over your life and every circumstance you face.
9) He is compassionate; slow to get angry.
God is quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. We should be the same.
10) He does not deal as harshly with us as we deserve.
He is the perfect combination of grace and truth.
11) He removes our sin as far as the East is from the West.
He chooses to forgive the repentant sinner and remove the sins of the past. We should do likewise.
12) He is like a loving father to his children.
He is a good father who does not exasperate his children but patiently loves, instructs, and corrects.
13) His salvation invitation extends to all generations.
We can build faith that outlasts our lives and impacts future generations.
14) He is faithful to those who obey his commands.
God is faithful. He never fails.
15) Praise is the way to remind ourselves of the goodness of God.
Speak and sing these reminders regularly until they become second nature.
The kindness and goodness of God lead us to repentance, change the way we think, and give us the confidence to trust him more deeply!