This little stretch of time between Christmas and January 1st are some of my favorite days of the year to take note of God’s faithfulness. As we inch closer to December 31, we’re slowly wrapping up the end of 365 days. Right on its heels is January 1st, the first day of a brand new year and new beginnings.
Have you taken note of God’s faithfulness in your life recently? Or from this past year?
Or even God’s hand of faithfulness on today?
Verses About God’s Faithfulness
The following bible verses on God’s faithfulness are to set the tone for this post and cherish the faithfulness of God through scripture.
If we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself. 2 Timothy 2:13
Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9
But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Throughout the bible, we’re encouraged to reflect and remember. That’s exactly what I love doing these next few days closing out another year. It’s my time of deep reflection on God’s faithfulness beyond my daily or weekly notes.
I’ll pull out last year’s journal and skim through the pages. Do you journal? I highly encourage it if you do not already.
It’s such a great way to not just put pen to paper, but heart to paper. It’s therapeutic and so helpful to work out thoughts in your mind.
I’ve found that our thoughts and memories can be skewed sometimes, not to mention we can forget them. So keeping a journal helps keep a record of what we’ve worked through – highs and lows.
A handful of years ago was a really dark and difficult time in my life. I felt far from God, abandoned, alone, crushed, and invisible.
To the watching world, everything looked fine. I think we can mask ourselves well amongst each other.
As the end of that year approached, I kept thinking how thankful I was to have that awful year behind me.
It was the ‘looking back’ that I better learned how to take note of God’s faithfulness.
Marks of God’s Faithfulness
When I pulled out my journal to flip through all the bad I had written about, I was floored at what I found.
I was expecting to see entry upon entry of sorrow and confusion, pain, brokenness, and a heart pleading for answers and directions. Oh yes. That was most certainly there.
But I also found the moments between the molding and prodding. I read about the few that saw past my cheery eyes and into my broken heart. How they helped carry my brokenness.
As I flipped through the pages of tears and pleadings, I saw time after time how God had shown up to save me though many of the times I was oblivious and blind to it.
Evidence of God’s Faithfulness
I read about the day I was with my family at a packed-out restaurant out of state. I had convinced myself of the lie that I was in this struggle all by myself and this was my own private battle to fight. Alone.
My family was enjoying themselves but all I wanted to do was crawl into a bed and disappear from the world.
While sitting at our table and feeling completely abandoned though surrounded by many, I looked up and saw an older gentleman all the way across the restaurant. He easily could have been in his late seventies or eighties.
It was as if he was waiting for me to see him. We locked eyes and he made his way through the crowd of people over to our table.
I watched him beeline his way straight to me.
Once he arrived, he handed me a small wooden cross and told me that God loves me.
He smiled and then turned back into the sea of people.
Bewildered and stunned, I looked down and carved on the cross were the words, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Proverbs 3:5”. One of my absolute favorite verses.
Do you believe we have a God that deeply desires a personal relationship with us?
A stranger sought me out in a crowded room and spoke directly to my shattered heart.
The more I flipped through the pages of my journal, I read prayer upon prayer of anguish. Looking back, I realized how a prayer warrior was being formed and molded.
Related: Praying for Your Family
I saw how I was being shaped with both grit and grace, humility and hope, and desperation and dependence.
When I looked back on that awful year, I saw marks of the Potter.
If I hadn’t looked back, I would have missed the prints of God’s faithfulness.
Take Note of God’s Faithfulness
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening. Psalm 92:1-2
As you prepare for a brand new beginning and a fresh start, remember to look back and take note of God’s faithfulness.
Whether it was a year of triumph, victory, and joy or one of difficulty, struggle, and pain, the Potter always leaves His mark.
Sometimes, we miss it and do not see it unless we look back and reflect.
Use the next few days to consider God’s faithfulness in this past year, this past decade.
What marks did He leave on your heart? How has He shown you His faithfulness?
Consider your marriage, your family, your health, your job, your home, your finances, your friendships, and relationships.
He is faithful in all he does. Psalm 145:17
What is your favorite God’s faithfulness verse?
When we look back and take note of God’s faithfulness, it will help prepare our hearts for a brand new beginning.
How to Take Note of God’s Faithfulness Each Day
It takes intentionality to take note of God’s faithfulness. Just as the morning sun rises, it greets us with the faithfulness of God.
These tips have helped me to take note of God’s faithfulness:
- Journal
- Date & Write Out Prayer Requests and note when they’ve been answered
- Meet regularly with other believers to share God’s faithfulness and work in our lives
- Read the bible to learn of God’s faithfulness throughout scripture
- Ask God for a sensitive spirit to recognize His marks as the Potter
- Write 5 things down each day that I am thankful for in which God has shown me His faithfulness
- Go “on the hunt” for His faithfulness. This one is one of my favorites. God is faithful – that is His nature. So even if I am not seeing his faithfulness, that does not mean He is not faithful. So, I will go on the hunt seeking out His faithfulness.
You know what? When we seek Him out, we always find Him.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
Don’t be limited by your physical eyes.
He has marks of faithfulness all around us.
Ask Him to bring to mind when He was faithful in your day or faithful this past year. It will encourage you so much.
My prayer is that we see our days through the lens of taking note of God’s faithfulness.
Let’s let that be our backdrop for this coming year.
Take note of God’s faithfulness.
Call to Action:
In your journal or on a notecard, write down the powerful bible verse on God’s faithfulness: Psalm 145:17 He is faithful in all he does. Take some time to note God’s faithfulness this past year.
Loved the post! God did so much in 2019 that l need to reflect upon and thank Him for. I’m also encouraged to start journalling in 2020. What a powerful encounter when God used that stranger to remind you of His love!🙂
It was so powerful and personal – just like our Heavenly Father! I’m thrilled that you’re encouraged to start journaling! It’s such a special way to keep note of God’s faithfulness in our lives. I hope 2020 is filled with His continued faithfulness upon your life!