Remembering God's Faithfulness as We Step Forward
“I will recount the gracious deeds of the Lord, the praiseworthy acts of the Lord, because of all that the Lord has done for us ….” Is. 63:7.
This verse encourages us to reflect on the experiences that have shaped us—moments of joy and sorrow, victories and challenges. Some will look back on 2025 with joy—answered prayers, new opportunities, unexpected blessings. Others may look back with tears—losses, disappointments, and trials that seemed overwhelming. Pausing to consider these matters helps us to recognize God’s hand in our lives.
As we come to the end of 2025 and the beginning of 2026, we should look back with gratitude, live in the present with praise, and step forward with hope. Gratitude anchors us in God’s past faithfulness. Praise centers us in God’s constant goodness. Hope propels us into the future with trust in His promises.
All creation — from the heavens to the earth—glorifies God. Ps. 148. Yet as far as we know, only humanity has the choice of whether to offer such praise. As C.S. Lewis explained in Mere Christianity (book 2, part 3), “The happiness which God designs for His higher creatures is the happiness of being freely, voluntarily united to Him and to each other….” Praising God reminds us that life is bigger than our problems. Praise thus has the power to transform our outlook, infusing our hearts with joy and peace even when life feels uncertain.
Remember too that God does not stand back when we suffer. He carries us like a loving Father. Isaiah 63 (quoted above in part) recounts how God’s people rebelled but then repented. Their rebellion caused them distress. But “in all their distress,” God’s “presence … saved them;” “in his love and in his pity, he redeemed them.” Is. 63:9. When we choose to focus on His blessings rather than our hardships, we cultivate a heart that is resilient and hopeful. This perspective empowers us to face future challenges with confidence, knowing that the same God who carried us yesterday will continue to uphold us tomorrow.
Having considered Jesus’ joyful arrival in humble circumstances, we also should remember how this presented profound risks from the very beginning. Shortly after Jesus’ birth, his mother and her husband Joseph fled their home country with baby Jesus to escape a death threat. Why? The ruler Herod wanted to kill Jesus because he thought the baby threatened his own power. On this occasion Herod did kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under. But Jesus escaped because just before Herod’s slaughter, God warned Joseph to flee to Egypt with Mary and Jesus. With great urgency, they escaped by leaving during the night, Matt. 2:13-23, with at least Joseph likely walking for several days to their Egyptian destination. Through Joseph’s faithfulness, God fulfilled the prophecy of Hosea 11:1 – “Out of Egypt I called my son.” And years later, as people wondered what to make of a wandering rabbi from an obscure place, the journeys described in Matt. 2 would help them see that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah whose Bethlehem birth Micah 5 foretold.
We may not know what lies ahead, but we can trust the One who holds the future. Obeying Him despite unknown outcomes transforms fear into confident faith and enables us to step into a new year with praise.