The past week has been emotional for Steve and me. We have spent the week here in South Carolina with his folks. Mom was admitted to the hospital 10 days ago for some heart issues. This past Wednesday, she had a stroke and has now been admitted to hospice.
Spending time with them both in the hospital has been a remarkable experience. Before her stroke, when Mom could still speak, nurses kept coming into the room asking what the secret was to their marriage (almost 65 years). Dad chuckled and said, “Being willing to say, ‘I’m sorry.'” But there were also profound comments from them both about serving each other and the impact of God’s faithfulness on their lives. The impact of their faith and love had a profound influence on the hospital staff. Over and over throughout the week, we heard the stories of the faithfulness of God through the years.
Before the ambulance arrived to transport Mom to the hospice house, we gathered around her, read some psalms and sang “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.”
This morning, I was reading Psalm 92. I love verse 2 (TPT): “At each and every sunrise we will be thanking you for your kindness and your love. As the sun sets and all through the night, we will keep proclaiming, ‘You are so faithful.'” As the sun sets on Mom’s life, her life proclaims, “You are so faithful!”
As I’ve been thinking about the faithfulness of God, I believe it’s good during different seasons of our lives to stop and consider, “How has God been faithful in my life?” I think if you look back and remember, you’ll see:
—The times when you blew it, and God forgave.
—The times when someone betrayed you, and God gave you the strength to forgive.
—The times when change rattled you to the core, but God held you steady.
—The times when you felt afraid, and God gave you the courage to take the next step.
—The times when you persisted in prayer even though the situation looked hopeless, and God answered.
—The times when the enemy surrounded you on every side, but God gave you the victory.
—The times when someone you loved was sick—or you were—and God healed.
—The times when you needed wisdom, and God showed you the next step.
—The times when you didn’t know how you would make it financially, but God provided.
Friend, I could go on and on. But instead, here’s my suggestion: Take a few moments, make a list and reflect back on your experiences of the faithfulness of God. I would encourage you to write them down. If you have verses that became precious to you during each of those events, write them out. Keep a faithfulness journal. Seeing how God has been faithful in the past will give you the strength and courage to face the future. {eoa}
Becky Harling, an author, certified speaker, leadership coach and trainer with the John Maxwell Team, is an energetic and motivational international speaker inspiring audiences to overcome their greatest life challenges and reach their full, God-given potential. Her most recent book is Listen Well, Lead Better. Her husband, Steve Harling, is the president of Reach Beyond, a nonprofit organization seeking to be the voice and hands of Jesus around the world. Connect with Becky at beckyharling.com, on Facebook or on Twitter.
This article originally appeared at beckyharling.com.
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