There are three phrases in Psalm 77 that we need to review:
First, we have an enemy that is committed to doing everything he can to make sure that we do not remember. Jeremiah is a great reminder of the schemes of the enemy. He will suggest other gods, he will suggest alliances with people who do not know the Lord or honor him. Picture a brainstorming session where the enemy is throwing all kind of ideas at you to solve your funk other than remembering what the Lord has done.
The other reason is that we just flat forget. The lives that we lead do not lend themselves to reflection. We are not alone. Israel forgot. Forgot quick. Read Judges 2:7, 10 -11. We are no better.
I have said this many times before, this is why a journal is not just an interesting discipline, I am becoming more and more convinced it is a necessity. If we do not record what God is doing in our lives, how in the fat are we supposed to remember?
Asaph had it right. The way out of the dumps is to remember, to rejoice in, to be thankful for the deeds that the Lord has done in our lives. It moves us back to Him. It moves us back into our connection, our relationship with Him. If we do not have that tool we are going to be greatly hampered in remembering what God has done. We are vastly more vulnerable to the schemes of the enemy.
Don’t forget. Write it down.
- Verse 2…my soul refused to be comforted…
- Verse 4…I am so troubled I cannot speak…
- Verse 11…I shall remember the deeds of the Lord…
The other reason is that we just flat forget. The lives that we lead do not lend themselves to reflection. We are not alone. Israel forgot. Forgot quick. Read Judges 2:7, 10 -11. We are no better.
I have said this many times before, this is why a journal is not just an interesting discipline, I am becoming more and more convinced it is a necessity. If we do not record what God is doing in our lives, how in the fat are we supposed to remember?
Asaph had it right. The way out of the dumps is to remember, to rejoice in, to be thankful for the deeds that the Lord has done in our lives. It moves us back to Him. It moves us back into our connection, our relationship with Him. If we do not have that tool we are going to be greatly hampered in remembering what God has done. We are vastly more vulnerable to the schemes of the enemy.
Don’t forget. Write it down.
lol - how in the fat, indeed... ;) - AS
ReplyDeleteFrom one journal junkie to another? ;-)
DeleteYa Mike.. Andy Still.. I wrote a daily encouragement for several years before blogging was really thought of/ called blogging. I felt that I was never really good at being consistent. And eventually took all that effort into other areas of service.
DeleteAndy,
DeleteThis has been an interesting thing to do. It started because the Lord asked me to do it. I have to continually go back to that remembering for whom I do this. If I get focused on how many people read or comment... Well that is not the reason I do this... Not sure I am communicating what I am thinking right now... Anyway thanks for your thoughts...