In the face of difficulty, remember.
Doubting? Discouraged? Remember.
Facing an impossible situation? Remember.
Remember the past faithfulness of God. How he has provided in the past. Made a way when there seemed to be no way. Given wisdom in a baffling situation. Provided insight in a struggling relationship. Remember past faithfulness.
Remember.
Remember.
Remember.
Reading through the books of Moses right now, I understand the humanity of the Israelite people. Take a walk with me through the first few months of their post-Egypt story:
God miraculously delivers them from Pharaoh.
They panic in the face of what is a death trap: the Red Sea before them, Pharaoh’s army behind them.
Exodus 14
They forget past faithfulness.
God splits the sea for the Israelites, they cross on dry land.
Three day’s journey later, they camp in a place where the water is contaminated.
They forget past faithfulness. The people complain.
Moses, at God’s direction, tosses a log into the water, instantly making it sweet and clean to drink.
Exodus 15
Within 4 weeks, the whole congregation grumbles against Moses and Aaron: “We should have never left Egypt! Would that we had all died there! At least our bellies weren’t empty and we ate bread to the full. But you, Moses, have brought us out in this wilderness to die of hunger!”
They forget past faithfulness.
God sends quail to the camp for meat, and in the morning, there is a wafer-like substance on the ground. Bread for the taking. Enough for everyone to have his fill.
Exodus 16
It is only a few short weeks later that again, the people run out of water. They are angry enough to stone Moses. The situation is tense; animals are bawling with thirst; the people are worked up in a mob-like frenzy. “Give us water, Moses! Why did you bring us out here to let us die with thirst?”
They forget past faithfulness.
At the instruction of God, Moses hits a rock. Water gushes out in a river of provision. A roaring, churning, mighty river. Not just a trickle like we see in Bible-story books, but plenty. More than enough water for two million people and their livestock.
Exodus 17
Less than three weeks later…
And the saga continues. Human nature is discouragingly consistent, isn’t it? Do you get the picture? God provides. Miraculously.
The people forget.
He provides again. The people are momentarily incredulously happy.
Then life gets hard. Unpredictable. Circumstances seem impossible.
The people are persistently consistent. They complain.
They forget past faithfulness.
If your life was written like the Israelite story, would it translate much differently than the Exodus narrative we have? Examine your story. Take the past year, for example. What were the hard things? The impossible circumstances; that difficult relationship or emotional upheaval. An unexpected disappointment.
How did you respond?
Did you forget the past faithfulness of God? Did you despair or complain? Did you accuse others? Did you blame God?
Recognize patterns.
Choose resilient faith. A lively faith that keeps popping up, no matter the circumstances. A faith that refuses to be buried.
Don’t forget to remember His faithfulness.
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning; great is His faithfulness!
Lamentations 3:22-26
The Lord is my portion and inheritance; because of this, I will hope in him.
The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.