The Transforming Power of Remembering
Today I want to encourage you to remember the good things God has done in your life. Too often we let the negative things from our past to dominate our thinking when we should be remembering what is beneficial and what is good. We're remembering that someone told us we'll never be good enough or that friend who walked away. The negative thoughts break in and make you feel sad, worried, depressed, or fearful for what could happen in the future. That's what negative thoughts do. They cause us to not walk in faith and victory.
The writers of the New Testament knew the power in remembering the right things. They often made statements such as "I am writing to remind you." The apostle Paul said to Timothy, "Keep reminding God's people of these things" (2 Timothy 2:14). Peter wrote, "Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking" (2 Peter 3:1). These writers knew that it's so easy to put our minds on autopilot and forget all God's benefits. When you remember what God has said and done, it will transform your thinking and your life. We have to know that there's transforming power in our remembrances, especially during times of difficulty.
In the Old Testament, God commanded His people to take time out from their busy schedules seven times a year to celebrate a variety of national festivals, which were times of remembrance marked by thanksgiving and joyous feasting. This wasn't optional. He required His people to regularly take time and pause to remember and celebrate the miracles and the marvelous deeds He had done on their behalf--delivering them from slavery, parting the Red Sea, bringing water out of a rock, and on and on.
Do you know why God wanted them to do that? Because they were a lot like us today. We get busy doing life, struggling so hard to make things happen every day, that we tend to forget what's more important than all that. We forget He's in control. We forget we can depend on Him to make things happen. We forget He can do things that we can't do. We even forget the miracles that He has done in our life--how He's worked in our life, our victories, our successes, the good times--and we get stuck in negativity.
God wants you to remember the good, what He has done for you and in your life. When you remember the good, it helps you through the tough times. He wants you to move forward today. Use the power of remembrance to strengthen your faith and help you get through.
The writers of the New Testament knew the power in remembering the right things. They often made statements such as "I am writing to remind you." The apostle Paul said to Timothy, "Keep reminding God's people of these things" (2 Timothy 2:14). Peter wrote, "Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking" (2 Peter 3:1). These writers knew that it's so easy to put our minds on autopilot and forget all God's benefits. When you remember what God has said and done, it will transform your thinking and your life. We have to know that there's transforming power in our remembrances, especially during times of difficulty.
In the Old Testament, God commanded His people to take time out from their busy schedules seven times a year to celebrate a variety of national festivals, which were times of remembrance marked by thanksgiving and joyous feasting. This wasn't optional. He required His people to regularly take time and pause to remember and celebrate the miracles and the marvelous deeds He had done on their behalf--delivering them from slavery, parting the Red Sea, bringing water out of a rock, and on and on.
Do you know why God wanted them to do that? Because they were a lot like us today. We get busy doing life, struggling so hard to make things happen every day, that we tend to forget what's more important than all that. We forget He's in control. We forget we can depend on Him to make things happen. We forget He can do things that we can't do. We even forget the miracles that He has done in our life--how He's worked in our life, our victories, our successes, the good times--and we get stuck in negativity.
God wants you to remember the good, what He has done for you and in your life. When you remember the good, it helps you through the tough times. He wants you to move forward today. Use the power of remembrance to strengthen your faith and help you get through.