Remember to Remember: Breaking Cycles by Focusing on God’s Blessings

It’s amazing how quickly we forget to remember the past.

I think back to September 11, 2001 when we weren’t Democrat or Republican but Americans, and then I look at the division in our country now and how much opposing views are tearing American’s apart.

It’s not just American’s though. You can’t read much in the Old Testament without seeing the cyclical behavior of the Israelites.

Trapped in a Cycle

God would provide a miracle, Israel would worship Him for a generation or two, but eventually they would fall away. Often, they’d adopt false gods from the people God told them to separate from. They’d become enslaved, cry out to God to save them, and God would deliver them. Again.

And repeat…throughout most of the Old Testament and on through history.

We read the Bible and wonder how they could so easily forget the sea being parted, being fed manna and quail, or the walls crumbling around Jericho. How many miracles do we forget every day though?

Maybe God’s presence isn’t as dramatic as it was in Old Testament times, but He’s still here with us. Too often, we just fail to see all He does around us.

Seeing God

When Jay was in prison, I prayed like I never had before. I needed His help to get through each day. Help to pay the bills, to keep our family together, and to fight against the constant attacks from people close to me. There was no one I could rely on for all that but God.

And He did provide. We were fed. Our mortgage was paid. We rarely went without while Jay was gone. No matter the need, God provided it in ways that rarely made sense at the time. We received miracle after miracle.

Breaking My Cycle

Unfortunately, I seem to forget that sometimes now that Jay has been home for a while. I stress and worry over how bills will be paid, even with two incomes now. I wonder if we will be able to buy groceries if unexpected expenses come up, or if we can afford to fix our van if it breaks down.

It’s like I forget all the amazing ways God has shown up in my life before. I forget how God used people around me to provide every need, even knocking on my door to answer a prayer while I was praying about it for the first time. I forget the anonymous gifts in just the right amount, when no one but Jay and God know my needs.

Still, I forget to ask for His help now, and sometimes I forget to look at how He’s working things out already.

I’m no better than the Israelites in the Old Testament that turned from God even after He gave them miracle after miracle.

So, how can we remember?

• Create a gratitude journal. Make it a habit to write it down when you see God show up. Don’t just write down your daily experiences with God, read through them often so you don’t forget. I frequently go through my prayer journal for reminders of what I’ve prayed for and make note of how God has answered.
• Make prayer a priority. Talk to God every day, multiple times a day. You wouldn’t neglect to speak to your husband daily, but yet we don’t always make time to talk to God. I spend my commute each day praying about what’s on my heart. It’s two dedicated times that I know I can talk to God about anything bothering me. Side note: it makes the drive so much better!
• Beware of false idols. Most of us won’t put up wooden idols of Baal like the Israelites in the old testament, but we still have our idols. Our phones, social media, Netflix…all of it can become something we “worship” over God. Eliminate what you can that pulls you away from God (I have to delete games on my phone all the time) and use that time to talk to God.
• Share your stories. Remind yourself of the ways God has stepped up by sharing those stories with others. Let your testimony keep your eyes focused on God and His miracles while encouraging others around you at the same time. Jay and I let his incarceration be more public than many people thought it needed to be because we wanted to let others see how God was showing up in our life.
• Surround yourself with godly people. When we put ourselves in the middle of people focused on God, it’s easier to stay focused on God. It’s when we wander away from His people that our focus shifts. Finding a solid, authentic Christian community is an important aspect of remembering God’s blessings. It was the believers around us that God used the most to bless us during our difficult times, and we know many of them still continue to pray for our family now.

Breaking Your Cycle

Staying focused on God requires effort on our part. Our families, work, and daily activities can pull us in different directions, seeming to take up all our time. We make time for what’s important to us though, but too often it’s God-time that gets left out of our busy days.

Instead of cutting God from our lives, let’s remember all He’s done for us each day. Let’s choose to remember the miracles and break the cycle of walking away only to cry out when times get tough.

What miracles has God done in your life? How do you keep your focus on Him when life tries to distract you?