remembering, thanking, trusting

I finished reading One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp yesterday. Chapter eight particularly stuck out to me.

The whole premise of the book is to see God's gifts, presence and grace in the daily, in the mundane, and even in the trials and sufferings in this life. To be thankful, to have a changed perspective.

She writes about battling anxiety by surrendering it in prayer, remembering God's goodness, being thankful and trusting God with the future.

Here are a few nuggets:

And trust is that: work. The work of trusting love. Intentional and focused. Sometimes, too often, I don't want to muster the energy. Stress and anxiety seem easier. Easier to let a mind run wild with the worry than to exercise discipline, to reign her in, slip the blinders on and train her to walk steady in certain assurance, not spooked by the specters looming ahead. Are stress and worry evidences of a soul too lazy, too undisciplined, to keep gaze fixed on God? To stay in love? 

Thanks is what builds trust. 

Every time fear freezes and worry writhes, every time I surrender to stress, aren't I advertising the unreliability of God? That I really don't believe? But if I'm grateful to the Bridge Builder for the crossing of a million strong bridges, thankful for a million faithful moments, my life speaks my beliefs and I trust Him again. 

Trust is the bridge from yesterday to tomorrow, built with planks of thanks. Remembering frames up gratitude. Gratitude lays our the planks of trust. I can walk the planks - from known to unknown - and know: He holds. I could walk unafraid. 

remembering with thanks is what causes us to trust - to really believe.

If I stop and reflect on all the ways that God has carried me, all the ways that He has provided for me, I am reminded of how trustworthy He is. I am reminded of His character and His provision. That gives me momentum for the future . . . while it is unknown, I am reassured that I am safe in His care. 

How has God blessed you and provided for you? Stop and reflect on this . . . how does it help you to move forward?