Altars of Thanksgiving
Last week around Thanksgiving, I spent time reflecting on the current season of my life and the years leading up to now. In doing so, I became overwhelmed with emotions because the sum total of my life to date, including the highs and the lows, painted a beautiful image of God’s goodness and His faithfulness towards me. As I continued to reflect, each life experience reminded me of various dimensions of God and His character — His omnipresence, His unconditional love, His grace, His protection, His provision, His power, His sovereignty. I literally could go on and on! In that moment, however, I sat joyfully and thankfully in the reality that I am blessed. It was also special to be able to trace these experiences back to God and see that His hand has been on my life since the very day I was born.
The time that I spent reflecting on my life turned into a moment of praise. A praise filled with thanksgiving and reverence to God for….
Saving me by grace through His son, Jesus (Ephesians 2:8; John 3:16; Romans 10:9-10)
Forgiving me of my sins…many times over (1 John 1:19; Psalm 103:12)
Providing every one of my needs both tangible and intangible (Philippians 4:19)
Healing me from the coronavirus and emotional traumas (Jeremiah 30:17; Psalm 147:3)
Protecting me from harm when my car engine set on fire while driving (Psalm 46:1, 91, and 121:7). If you’re interested, you can read more about this experience in one of my prior blog posts, “Evolution Sparked.”
Blessing me with an amazing community of friends and family (Proverbs 27:17; 1 Peter 4:8-10; Hebrews 10:24-25)
Mending and restoring my relationship with my dad (Ephesians 4:32; Proverbs 17:9; John 13:34)
Making provision for me to attend college despite having limited financial resources (Philippians 4:19)
Blessing me with precious moments with my maternal grandmother before she passed away and continuously walking with me and my family through seasons of grief (Psalm 34:18)
Opening doors of opportunity for me professionally (Psalm 5:12)
Walking with me through seasons of anxiety and giving me peace (John 14:27)
Giving me wisdom and discernment to make thoughtful decisions (Proverbs 2:6; James 1:5; Romans 12:2)
Leading and guiding my footsteps as I seek and surrender to Him (Proverbs 3:5-6)
Answering prayers for me as well as my family and friends (Mark 11: 34; John 15:7; 1 John 5:14)
Blessing me with the grace and strength that I need every single day (Isaiah 40:29; 2 Corinthians 12:9)
Y’all, God is so good! These past and recurring life experiences have become literal monuments of God’s faithfulness throughout my life with each one pointing me back to the promises found in His word. I’ve also included scriptures above for your reference as well 🙂
What about you? What are you thankful for? What promises has God fulfilled in your life? I encourage you to spend some time reflecting on these moments. I believe these moments will fill your heart with joy and thanksgiving. And if you’re currently facing a difficult season of life, I believe these moments will also stir up your faith and give you hope, reminding you of God’s faithfulness in past situations. Because one thing I know from my own experiences is if He showed up before, He’ll do it again! 😉
Be encouraged,
Imanne