I keep a Bible Study and Prayer notebook. Since I’m a note taker, it’s the perfect place to store those notes from sermons, workshops, and books. As I read Scripture, I jot down verses that strike me, how it applies to me or life in general, and prayers it leads me to. Yesterday, I was reading Exodus 16 and verse 6 said, “So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, ‘In the evening you will know that it was the LORD who brought you out of Egypt,’”(New International Version). (The Israelites were upset because of a lack of food and complaining to say the least.) That verse led me to write, “Father, help me not to forget what you’ve done. (The Israelites were good at that and so am I.) Help me to remember, be patient, and trust you in every difficult situation. When a new problem comes help me to remember what you’ve already done. Help me to see my fault clearly instead of looking for excuses and someone else to blame. (Again, both the Israelites and I tend to do that.)” After praying that prayer I re-read (and wrote down) verse 4, “Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.”
Now, let me tell you about the rest of my day. While trying to park my parents car, I hit the cement parking block and, like a true Israelite, panicked and made it worse, driving it further over the block. I was sure I had just destroyed the front end of their car. Thankfully, the damage was limited to a dent under the front bumper. (Which my sweet mom claims she did a few days ago.) How the excuses ran through my mind – their car is lower than I’m use to; I’m use to a stick shift, not an automatic (which does explain why, in my panic, I searched for the clutch and stick shift both). My excuses could have gone on, but my prayer came to mind. I shut off the explanations and simply said, “I am so sorry.” Does it make me feel any better? Not really.
But things did get worse. I was told that someone who I love dearly and can’t imagine life without, has to under go tests. There seems to be something suspicious that the doctors would like to look at more closely. So, now, here I am, living the first part of my prayer. Help me, Father, to remember what You’ve done, to be patient, and to trust You with this person who is so precious to me.
Last night, I cried tears of worry and fear. I cried over this person who means so much to me. I even asked, “Haven’t we gone through enough?” Today, I sat down with my Heavenly Father, and began to remember. Those of you who have The Faith Challenge know that the very first thing I have you do is to create a Praise List. This is exactly why. We know all too well that hard things come. We have to remember what God has already done so that we can have the faith and courage to face the next hard thing. So, I made a new Praise List and re-read the old, which hangs on my bedroom wall. Oh, the things I had forgotten!
That’s why we write it down. We do forget. Just as easily as the Israelites forgot the parting of the Red Sea, we will forget what God does for us, no matter how big it is. There’s also another reason. When God intervenes for us we see it so clearly. As time goes on, though, doubts slip in (was it really Him?) and memories of what really happened fade. It becomes just another memory that doesn’t help us face the troubles of today.
After writing my newest Praise List in my journal, I also wrote, “I can trust Him with my loved one. I will not forget that He is the LORD who did all those things and more and will continue to Lord over my life.” After remembering all that He’s done, that gives me great peace. Am I worry free? No, but I can say that I trust God because He’s more than proved His goodness and love to me. I will read and reread my Praise List often and cling to Him. That’s a very good place for a person who’s had a very bad day to be.
What can you put on your Praise List? Please share a praise in the comment box below! I could use the encouragement!
In His Love,
Kimberly
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