PSALM 119:65 – You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word.
THEME OF THE DAY. OVERCOMING SPIRITUAL AMNESIA. We forget things. It is part of our “fallen creature-ness” and our flawed human make-up. It could be as simple as forgetting where we laid a set of car keys or an appointment we failed to write down, trusted it to our memory, and missed because we forgot.
Forgetfulness is one of those commonalities we share. Yes, it often manifests itself in small things, but it may also find its way into our spiritual lives, and that isn’t a small thing. It is a very damaging thing. We may call this “spiritual amnesia” and it will come upon us with force when facing difficult trials, circumstances, and situations. Here is how it works. “Out of the blue” but really out of God’s always good sovereignty, we encounter a circumstance or situation, maybe relational, financial, or some other tangible need that is beyond human effort to change or solve. It has come and we are helpless. How do we respond? One of two ways. Here they are …
We allow ourselves to fall into spiritual amnesia or spiritual forgetfulness. The evidence this is occurring is a heart gripped by fear, worry, anxiety, and we faithlessly scramble to try and take control of the situation, circumstance, or person to change it or them. What is really being revealed is our forgetfulness, not of God, but of His faithfulness to His promises. Oh, we would not deny God in the trial. We simply allow the trial to take our minds away from God’s faithfulness to His people. And when our minds are focused on our circumstances and situations, the ground is fertile for spiritual amnesia. In fact, spiritual amnesia thrives in a mind looking inwardly and outwardly at what is seen and felt, not upwardly to Christ and to His promises. If spiritual amnesia is not fought against, an evil heart of unbelief settles in and severe chastening by the Lord will occur (Hebrews 3:12). But we can overcome spiritual amnesia. The answer is simple, not easy when trials are tough, but simple. It is found in today’s scripture.
The way to overcome spiritual forgetfulness of God’s promise to help in a present trial, pause and remember His faithfulness to us in the past. The Psalmist proclaims, “You have dealt (past tense) well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word.” He wouldn’t be paralyzed by fear or worry in the present. He took his mind to recall how God had come through for him in the past and his God, our God, never changes. So, friends, when faced with a difficult situation, engage the mind to remember God’s faithfulness to us in the past. What He did then to help, He will do now to help. Overcome spiritual amnesia by not thinking so much on our present-day troubles but thinking more on God’s always present promises that have proven time and time again to be trustworthy. In doing so, we won’t suffer the spiritual turmoil of spiritual forgetfulness.
PRAYER: “Father, help me to look to Your faithfulness in the past to encourage my faith in You in the present.”
QUOTE: “One of the biggest causes of sinful worry and anxiety is forgetfulness of God’s promises and faithfulness.”