Gratitude and the Practice of Remembering

Our theme this month has been gratitude. While writing this third installment, I realized that most readers probably don’t need to be convinced of its importance. If you opened this article, you likely already want to be a grateful person.

But I know from personal experience that understanding its importance and wanting to be grateful do not always translate into living that way. So, this week, I want to spend less time explaining why we should be grateful and more time exploring how we put gratitude into practice. One place to begin is by remembering what God has already done.

That sounds simple enough. But how do we remember His goodness when the concerns of daily life demand so much of our attention? Throughout the Old Testament, God repeatedly calls His people to remember. He knows how easily we forget, so He gives them practical ways to keep His faithfulness in view.

These “concerns of daily life” are not the only things that makes us forget. Sometimes we forget because life is going well. In Deuteronomy 8, Moses warned the Israelites that after they had eaten their fill, built good homes, and prospered, they might begin to credit themselves for their blessings. They would need to remember that even their ability to produce wealth came from God.

We can do the same thing. We may pray earnestly when a need is pressing, but once the answer comes and life settles down, we tend to move on. What once seemed like an extraordinary provision gradually becomes something we take for granted. Psalm 106 describes this tendency in Israel with a sobering statement: “But they soon forgot his works” (Psalm 106:13 (opens BibleGateway in a new tab), ESV).

Soon. We might imagine that witnessing a miracle would settle our doubts forever. Yet Scripture shows us people who experienced God’s power and still needed reminders. We should not assume we are any different.

One of the clearest pictures of God providing such a reminder is found in Joshua 3–4. The Israelites were finally crossing the Jordan River into the Promised Land. As the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant stepped into the water, the river stopped flowing, and the people walked across on dry ground, just as Israel had crossed the Red Sea a generation earlier.

Once the people crossed, the Lord gave Joshua a specific instruction. Twelve men, one from each tribe, were to take a stone from the middle of the riverbed, where the priests were still standing. Those twelve stones were carried to their camp at Gilgal and set up as a lasting memorial.

Joshua explained the purpose: “When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. … So, these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever” (Joshua 4:6–7 (opens BibleGateway in a new tab), ESV).

The stones would prompt questions. The questions would lead to stories. And those stories would teach another generation about the goodness of God. Consider that for a moment. Before the people had even settled into their new homeland, God was making provision for them to remember how they got there.

Several years ago, my own family decided to follow this example in a simple way. We rented a mountain cabin for the holidays. More than twenty people were there, three generations under one roof.

One evening, we read the story of Joshua and the twelve stones together. Then we took time to share specific ways we had seen God’s faithfulness through the years. Afterward, we all walked out into the woods to find our own rocks. The kids especially loved painting them once we returned to the cabin. When the weekend ended, each of us carried our stone home. Mine still sits on my desk as a quiet reminder of God’s goodness.

This is something your family can do, too. Before the football games begin on Thanksgiving, take a few minutes to read Joshua 4 together. Share a story or two of how God has been faithful. Tell your children or grandchildren about a time He provided, answered a prayer, or sustained you through a difficult season.

Then, if you are able, go outside and find a small rock. Paint it, write a word on it, or simply place it somewhere you will see it often. Let it become your own memorial stone, a tangible prompt to remember and give thanks.

If you are spending the holiday alone, you can still take part. Write down a few memories of God’s faithfulness. Consider calling someone who shared one of those experiences and remembering it together.

And don’t let the practice end with Thanksgiving Day. Keep a notebook beside your Bible and write down specific reasons to thank God. Revisit those entries when discouragement comes. At dinner or before bed, pause to name one way you have experienced His goodness that day. Over time, you will have a growing record of gratitude you might otherwise have forgotten.

Remembering does not make today’s trouble disappear. But it helps us face that trouble with a fuller understanding of who God is. In the middle of lament, the writer of Lamentations deliberately brings God’s enduring mercy to mind and finds reason for hope (Lamentations 3:21–24 (opens BibleGateway in a new tab)).

Sometimes we need to tell the old stories again because we are facing something new.

The stone on my desk is a simple thing, but it points back to stories worth remembering. Your reminder might be a stone, a journal, or a conversation around the dinner table. Whatever form it takes, let it prompt you to pause, remember, and give thanks.

This Week’s Readings

Monday – Joshua 4:1–24 (opens BibleGateway in a new tab)
God instructs His people to build a memorial so that future generations will hear about His mighty works.

Tuesday – Deuteronomy 8:1–18 (opens BibleGateway in a new tab)
Remember the Lord in seasons of abundance, recognizing that every provision comes from Him.

Wednesday – Psalm 103:1–14 (opens BibleGateway in a new tab)
Call to mind the Lord’s forgiveness, mercy, compassion, and steadfast love.

Thursday – Psalm 77:11–20 (opens BibleGateway in a new tab)
In a time of distress, the psalmist deliberately remembers God’s past wonders.

Friday – Psalm 78:1–8 (opens BibleGateway in a new tab)
Tell the coming generation what God has done so that they will place their hope in Him.

Saturday – Lamentations 3:21–25 (opens BibleGateway in a new tab)
Remembering God’s enduring love and daily mercies gives us reason to hope amid suffering.