Forgetting the benefits and blessings of God is a common struggle for many Christians. Life gets busy, problems arise, and it’s easy to lose sight of all that God has done for us. Psalm 103 provides insight into how we can actively remember God’s benefits so that thankfulness and praise will flow from our hearts.
What are the “benefits” of God?
Psalm 103 goes on to elaborate on some of these benefits we are not to forget:
- Forgiveness – “who forgives all your iniquity” (v.3)
- Healing – “who heals all your diseases” (v.3)
- Redemption – “who redeems your life from the pit” (v.4)
- Renewal – “who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy” (v.4)
- Satisfaction – “who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (v.5)
- Justice – “The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed” (v.6)
- Revelation – “He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel” (v.7)
- Compassion – “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (v.8)
- Forgiveness – “He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever” (v.9)
- Mercy – “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities” (v.10)
This is just a sampling of the incredible spiritual, emotional, and physical blessings God pours out on His people. He forgives our sins, heals our bodies, redeems our lives, renews our spirits, satisfies our longings, champions the oppressed, reveals His truth, shows compassion, withholds His wrath, and lavishes unmerited mercy upon us. These benefits deserve constant remembrance and thanks!
Why do we often forget God’s benefits?
If God’s blessings to us are so plentiful, why do we struggle to remember them? Several factors contribute to our forgetfulness:
- Busyness – Life’s rapid pace and constant demands often distract us from spiritual reflection.
- Discontentment – Focusing only on what we don’t have breeds discontent and blindness to our blessings.
- Entitlement – A sense of deserving worldly goods and comforts leads to taking God’s grace for granted.
- Ingratitude – Failing to actively thank God leads to forgetfulness of His provision.
- Suffering – In times of hardship, pain or grief, we become consumed by our troubles and overlook God’s past faithfulness.
- Forgetfulness – We simply forget due to human weakness and limitation.
The psalmist calls us to actively remember, so what practices counteract our natural tendency to forget? How can we cultivate a heart of gratitude?
How can we actively remember God’s benefits?
Scripture gives many practical suggestions for remembering God’s blessings:
- Reciting and singing praise – “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2). Reciting truths and singing worship songs imprint God’s goodness on our hearts.
- Talking with other believers – “Oh magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together!” (Psalm 34:3). Sharing testimonies reminds us of God’s work in one another’s lives.
- Taking Communion – Partaking of the Lord’s Supper offers a powerful visual reminder of Christ’s sacrifice for us (1 Corinthians 11:24-25).
- Reviewing past journal entries – Writing down prayers, promptings, blessings and lessons learned can help us reflect on God’s faithfulness when we re-read journals.
- Memorizing Scripture – Internalizing key verses about God’s blessings hides His truth in our hearts for easy recall (Psalm 119:11).
- Marking blessings in a prayer journal – Noting each blessing and provision creates awareness of God’s care for us.
- Creating physical reminders – Placing visual reminders (photos, plaque, art) in your living or work space triggers you to recall blessings.
- Practicing thankfulness – Cultivating thankfulness in prayer, speech, and thought trains our hearts to notice God’s gifts.
- Serving others – Blessing others ministers Christ’s love in tangible ways and reminds us of God’s help in our lives.
- Observing Sabbath rest – Setting aside regular time to slow down and reflect on God’s goodness counteracts distraction.
In the busyness of life, implementing even a few of these practices can make a difference. We remember most what we focus most upon. Choosing each day to set our minds on God’s benefits ensures we won’t forget all He has done.
Why does remembering God’s benefits matter?
Remembering God’s blessings serves several important purposes:
- It stirs up thanksgiving and worship when we reflect on God’s grace (Psalm 92:1-2).
- It gives us hope in hard times when we recall God’s past faithfulness and care (Psalm 77:11-12).
- It acts as a witness to others when we share what God has done for us (Psalm 66:16).
- It increases our joy as we focus on the overflowing blessings of God (Psalm 16:11).
- It enables us to rest in God’s love rather than striving for worldly success (Psalm 131:2-3).
- It leads to obedience out of love and gratitude for God’s mercy (Psalm 103:17-18).
- It aligns our priorities to value the Giver above the gifts (Psalm 62:5-8).
- It produces contentment and frees us from jealousy and greed (Psalm 73:25-26).
- It acts as a blessing to God when we honor Him with our remembrance and praise (Psalm 103:1-2).
When our hearts overflow with thankfulness for God’s unending benefits, it changes everything. Our worship deepens. Our hope abounds. Our joy is made full. Forgetting robs us of blessing God and living abundantly. Remembering ushers us into greater communion with Him.
Remembering God’s benefits in hard times
Seasons of difficulty make it especially challenging to recall God’s blessings. Grief, fatigue, pain, and heartache consume our thoughts. But Psalm 103 instructs us to “forget not all His benefits” – not some benefits, or past benefits – all His benefits. This includes present struggles. Even when we walk through the valley of shadows, God’s presence, comfort, and purposes walk with us (Psalm 23). Remembering this truth stabilizes and steadies our souls.
Psalm 77 provides a great model for remembering God’s benefits during trials. When overwhelmed with trouble, Asaph first complained to God honestly (verses 1-9). But then he turned his thoughts to recalling God’s mighty deeds, power, holiness, and past provision (verses 11-20). This shift revolutionized his perspective. He moved from discouragement to declaring, “Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God?” (verse 13).
We can adopt Asaph’s pattern during seasons of hardship or grief. After pouring out our hearts to God, we can actively shift our focus to remembering specific ways He has helped us before. Calling to mind His faithfulness in the past renews our strength and hope for the future. Though storms may rage around us, remembering the solid rock we stand upon – our Savior – will steady us. For He promises always to be with us and uphold us by His righteous right hand (Isaiah 41:10).
Remembering God’s benefits in times of abundance
Remembering God’s benefits during times of ease and abundance also presents challenges. Seasons of joy, health, stable relationships and material provision often breed complacency and forgetfulness. Moses warned the Israelites about this danger of forgetting the Lord during times of blessing (Deuteronomy 6:10-12). It’s easy to become self-sufficient and congratulate ourselves, losing sight of God’s provision.
But every good gift remains a gift from above (James 1:17). To guard against forgetfulness, we can follow David’s example. In the midst of national peace and personal prosperity, David took time to remember. He captured in song his reflections on God’s goodness (Psalm 103). He fixed his thoughts on God’s love, patience, forgiveness, redemption and compassion. Though he lived in comfort, David routinely cultivated thankfulness. His writings throughout the Psalms model for us pausing amidst abundance to remember and give thanks.
When we remember that every breath, each heartbeat and all we have comes from God’s gracious hand, it protects us from pride and self-reliance. Our relationships, careers, ministries, and abilities remain gifts from Him. Remembering this honors the Giver and prompts us to pour out those blessings in service of His kingdom. Gratitude and generosity flow naturally from those who remember God amidst plenty.
10 Tips for Remembering God’s Benefits
Here are 10 practical tips for how to remember and be thankful for God’s blessings each day:
- Start a gratitude journal to record blessings as you notice them.
- Place Post-It note reminders of God’s promises around your home.
- Set phone reminders to pause and give thanks throughout your day.
- Share a praise report with someone when God answers a prayer.
- Keep a running list of blessings in the notes app on your phone.
- Speak words of thanks for God’s gifts as you go about routine tasks.
- Stick encouraging Bible verses on your bathroom mirror or car dashboard.
- Sing or listen to worship songs celebrating God’s love and care.
- Capture photos remembering special blessings, lessons learned, or milestones.
- Take time on holidays and birthdays to reflect upon the previous year’s blessings.
Small efforts make a big difference. The key is choosing each day to intentionally shift our focus toward the overflowing benefits of our gracious God.
Remembering produces thankfulness and joy
When we faithfully call to mind all God’s benefits – past and present, in seasons of ease and hardship alike – Scripture promises our hearts will overflow with thankfulness, praise, and renewed joy. Remembering revives our first love. We recall the zeal of responding to divine grace that washed over us at the moment of conversion. Going back to the cross, the empty tomb, the first whispers of mercy – how can we not rejoice?
This joy ushers in a lifetime of pilgrimage, loving and serving the One who gave all for us. Our deliverer before whom countless saints have lifted their voices joins the chorus of our praise. Remembering draws back the veil between heaven and earth. The body of Christ spanning millennia and continents stands before the throne, singing “worthy is the Lamb who was slain” with one voice (Revelation 5:12). Remembering God’s benefits adds our “hallelujah” to the unending song.
