We are so quick to forget. We forget the grocery list on shopping trips, we forget appointments and commitments, we forget our kids names in the heat of the moment, and we even forget our anniversaries sometimes. That’s ok, we are merely human and life gets in the way of remembering the small things sometimes.
But the one thing we should never forget is the gap of where we were, to where Jesus has taken us. And sadly (preaching to myself here), we often forget that journey too.
So here is your reminder to sit still and remember God.
To not allow everyday life to get in the way of remembering the “dig deep dirty stuff” from the past. Don’t forget what you had to overcome, to get to where you are now.
This is what we all want, to be on the other side of a trial, but sometimes looking back and seeing how far you came is essential. Essential in our remembrance of the journey, the growth, the victory.
That woman you once were and where you are now, is proof of God’s grace, love, and mercy. That is something we must never forget, not ever. That gap should be in our minds and on our hearts always. Why? Because it helps us remember where our strength, our courage, our endurance, our victory came from. Not by our will, but His. His hand holding us, rocking us, guiding us, nudging us, and then bringing us back onto our feet to move forward.
People say not to look back because you’re not going that way, but I am going to respectfully disagree.
You gotta look back, friend. To see how far you’ve come. To see and remind yourself of how good God is and how much He has helped you overcome. Look back and see the climb, see that you are no longer in the valley but on the mountain top now in the fresh crisp air. Air that allows you to take a deep breath, because before you were drowning.
In the looking back, you must not look to wonder or wish. It’s a glance so that we can raise our hands in praise. Looking back doesn’t mean you’re going back, it means you aren’t willing to forget. And that, that’s what keeps us moving forward. That’s what keeps our hearts on Christ. That’s what keeps us seeking, asking, needing, and flourishing. That is what remembering God is all about.
The second I first saw this snapshot of us, I instantly remembered God.
I remembered the gap, the journey, the valley, and I took a deep breath and felt that crisp air.
I remembered the prayers, the tears, the pleading. I remembered the fights, the apologies, the restoration. I remembered it all.
Remembering is essential. It’s essential for our gratitude, our contentment, and our love and need for God. He the One that got us through. He is the One that made the gap. He is the One that heard, restored, and made new. He is the One that got us to this picture.
So, I urge you friend, to remember God. Remember the gap. Sit in it. Be so unbelievably grateful for it. And never forget it.