Deuteronomy 32:7 (ESV)
7 Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you.
Some of the most important things we can pass along to our children are the stories of how God has cared for us. They may see where our family is today without knowing what it took to get here. They may not know about the prayers, the difficult decisions, or the seasons when we were unsure how things would work out. Telling those stories gives them a fuller picture of what trusting God looks like.
Erica and I have seen God provide financially in ways we could never have imagined. There have been times through the years when funds were very tight. In those seasons, we have received an unexpected check in the mail or another financial blessing that met a need. Those moments have given us reasons to thank God and remember that we are cared for.
But when I think about what I want our children to learn from those experiences, I keep coming back to this: we can trust God even when we are still waiting. I want them to know about the provision, but I also want them to understand that God was worthy of our trust before anything changed. We could bring our concerns to Him while the need was still there.
Deuteronomy 32 records the song Moses taught Israel near the end of his life. It tells of God’s faithfulness and confronts the unfaithfulness of His people. Within that song, Moses calls them to remember. They are to consider earlier generations and ask their fathers and elders to tell them what happened. The people entering the land need to understand the history of the God who brought them there.
The verses that follow describe God finding, caring for, and carrying His people. Israel’s story is filled with His initiative and provision. Yet the song also describes how the people would become satisfied and turn away from Him. Remembering matters because receiving blessings does not automatically produce lasting gratitude. We can enjoy what God gives and gradually forget our dependence on the One who gave it.
That is one reason we need to talk about God’s faithfulness within our families. A child may know that a need was met without understanding why that moment mattered so deeply to a parent. A simple conversation can help connect the provision with the prayers that preceded it. We can tell them what concerned us, how we sought God’s help, and why we are thankful now.
We should tell those stories carefully. An unexpected check is a reason for gratitude, but it is not a formula we can hand to someone else. Trusting God does not guarantee that money will arrive whenever we need it or that financial hardship will end quickly. Faithful believers experience prolonged difficulty. We should never suggest that someone’s continuing struggle means they have failed to trust God enough.
What we can pass along is confidence in God’s character. He hears His people, welcomes their prayers, and calls them to depend on Him. His care may come through an unexpected gift, an opportunity to work, wise counsel, or the practical help of others. Sometimes we recognize His provision immediately. At other times, we understand more clearly when we look back over a difficult season.
Waiting can be especially challenging because we do not have that perspective yet. We are living in the middle of the story. We know what is needed, but we cannot see how the situation will unfold. It is easy to keep checking, calculating, and imagining what might happen. We may find ourselves carrying tomorrow’s concerns into every conversation and responsibility that belongs to today.
In those moments, remembering can help us pray. We can thank God for specific ways He has cared for us before and ask Him to help us with the need in front of us now. That does not require us to pretend we are comfortable. We can be thankful and concerned at the same time. Trust allows us to bring both our gratitude and our uncertainty honestly before Him.
There are also practical responsibilities we can attend to while we wait. We can review our spending, make a careful plan, seek advice, or tell a trusted person that we need help. Depending on God leaves room for thoughtful action. Sometimes the help we are praying for begins with a conversation we have been reluctant to have because we feel embarrassed about our circumstances.
Our deepest assurance of God’s care comes through Jesus Christ. He entered our broken world, died for our sins, and rose again so that those who trust Him could receive forgiveness and new life. Our relationship with God rests on what Christ has done. A delayed answer or an unresolved financial concern does not undo that relationship. We can come to our Father because, through Jesus, we belong to Him.
Today, remember one specific way God has cared for you, and consider sharing that story with someone who needs encouragement. If you are still waiting, you do not have to manufacture a finished testimony. You can speak honestly about the need and the God you are learning to trust within it. That is part of the story too. Our children need to hear that we can trust Him while we wait.
Prayer
Father, thank You for the ways You have cared for our family, including the provision we could never have planned ourselves. Help us remember those moments with gratitude and share them honestly. When needs remain unresolved, teach us to bring our concerns to You without pretending that waiting is easy. Give us wisdom for the responsibilities in front of us and humility to receive help. Thank You that through Jesus we belong to You. In Jesus’ name, amen.