Recount Your Blessings

Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul.

Psalms 66:16

Talking about God’s goodness is no longer common place. Let’s bring that back.

How easily we forget the blessings God has given us. He provides one miracle, but by the next week, we are asking Him why He hasn’t taken care of something else. We question His faithfulness in the face of a new trial, but we forget how many times He has carried us through trials in the past. The Bible is full of men and women of God recounting the past faithfulness of God. This oral tradition of passing down the stories of your faith has largely been lost. You and your family have rich stories of God’s blessings. Those are lost unless they are shared.

At one time, the dinner table was a place to recount the blessings of God. Now every person eats while watching a device if there is any table time at all. We have forgotten the richness of sharing stories. Psalms 71:15-16 says, “My mouth will tell of your righteous acts, of your deeds of salvation all the day, for their number is past my knowledge. With the mighty deeds of the Lord God I will come; I will remind them of your righteousness, yours alone.” Today there is no one reminding each other of God’s faithfulness. True stories like these build the faith of the listeners and the speakers. It fosters a sense of gratitude toward God and serves as a reminder of the many ways God has blessed you and your family.

Today sharing family faith stories has become awkward. No one does it and so it seems like no one should. It is time to bring back family discussion. It is time to bring back family story-telling. It is time to bring back dinner time at the table. It is time to revive, restore, recover family time, specifically to tell family faith stories.

Think now of some specific times that God has blessed you. Perhaps He provided something you truly needed or protected you from some threat. Perhaps He healed you or worked out a desperate situation. Think of a few situations where it was clear that God came through for you. Don’t you think those stories should be shared? Don’t share them just one time; tell them over and over.

Think about it.

Consider your daily routine. When might you begin sharing your stories of God’s faithfulness? Perhaps you need to bring back table time at dinner so you could share them there. Perhaps you could share them at bedtime or in the morning at breakfast. Find some time during your day to share you family faith stories before they are forgotten.

Read about it.

The Bible talks about testifying of God’s goodness in Mark 5:19-20, Luke 8:39, Psalms 105:1-2, 2 Peter 1:16, and Psalms 119:46.

Pray about it.

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise you for the good works you have done in my life and in the lives of my family members. Surely you have shown your goodness, kindness, and power through your work in our lives. Help me to share my stories and begin a new tradition of reminding all of your goodness to us. In Jesus name.