“Comparison is the thief of joy” - I tell myself this often, and while there is truth to that statement, there’s also value in looking back to other, harder times in our lives and comparing the past to today’s victories. When I compare my life to where I was 5 years ago, I rejoice at what God has done for me. I’m thankful for a job I love and my new church and church family. A lot has changed, and while there have been a lot of highlights in these past five years, I find God at work most when I look back far enough to see the bigger picture of what He has done in my life.

As I look back on 2019, I can certainly be thankful for marrying my best friend. And while getting married is a cause for celebration, I don’t just thank God for a beautiful wedding and our loving and supporting families. I praise God for the years leading up to the moment I said, “I do.” Beyond our wedding, there are more intricate details that say more about God than a good party. For me, our wedding day is part of my story of redemption after being abandoned by my first husband. That was a time I experienced God being close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:10). For other women, beginning a marriage may mean an end to years of struggling with singleness, attending endless weddings on their own. They get to tell of God’s promise that He is with us always (Matthew 28:20), even when we despair in loneliness. Still, for other women, remarrying after being widowed tells of God’s mighty hand as He upholds them (Psalm 146:9). 

Maybe you’re thankful for being able to walk across the stage and after earning your diploma. May you praise God for the strength He gave you semesters ago on dark days to study and work towards your goal. 

Maybe you saw someone you love dearly make a profession of faith this year. May you praise God for all of the nights you prayed for this person.

Maybe you’ve landed a great job. May you praise God for His provision in your life after applying and interviewing for months.

While there were many victories in 2019, there were also many struggles. I, for one, am writing this with a cast on my foot after experiencing pain for weeks. I’m sitting next to my husband who was recently let go from his high-risk job. Needless to say, I trust God continues to be at work in your life and mine. He can redeem what’s broken today in the years to come. 

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” -2 Corinthians 4:16-18

With the year coming to an end, we have the opportunity to look back at all that God has done for us, and continues to do for us. So, take a moment and look back -- look for His fingerprints in your life, the growth in your spiritual life, and for His faithfulness through the years (even if the prayers you’ve been praying haven’t been answered yet!). 

• What were some highlights in your life in 2019?

• In what ways did you get to experience God in the years leading up to these highlights?

• What are you learning about God in your current struggles?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Meagan is a Jersey girl doing life in New York City, as a Kindergarten teacher. She recently married her best friend. Meagan loves the Lord and serves and worships at a church plant. During her spare time she likes to read, travel, and eat good food.