“It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening” Psalm 92:1-2.

When fear strikes, my first defense should be to remember how God has dealt with me kindly in the past and to be thankful for how he will go before me now. He has not spared me from all sorrow, but he has allowed me to grow stronger and wiser. He has restrained the enemy and provided for all my needs. He has led me with a loving hand through dark valleys and brought me into the sunshine.

The Lord has been my savior, provider and protector, and my heart will be always filled with gratitude for the blessings he has generously given to me. I should never give into fear, but respond to life’s trials with praise: “Thank you, Lord, for you already know what I need and are at work to provide it. I will wait and see what you will do.”

And in those rare moments when I face no great struggles, when all is quiet, my heart bows humbly before the Lord to thank him for this gift. I don’t take it for granted.

A prayer journal is a great way to document how God has provided answers and met needs. A gratitude journal is another way to open our eyes to the blessings that surround us. It’s so easy to focus on the things we lack or the things we fear and to overlook the abundance already in our lives.

God deserves our thanks much more often than once a year!