At the beginning of Luke 24, we read about a few women who approach the tomb and are utterly perplexed that Christ is gone and the stone is rolled away. It takes two dazzling angels popping up in front of them and reminding them of everything that Christ told them before they remember. Now, before we give them too hard of a time for not remembering what He had told them, let’s remember the traumatic experience they had just gone through: they watched their Rabbi and friend die a horrible death on the cross. In the midst of that tragedy, it wasn’t until they were reminded by their friendly angelic hosts that they were able to see through their pain and remember Christ’s promises.
Why do I bring up this story of the forgetful women? Because I know, at some point in time, you are going to be there. When tragedy strikes, or plans go awry, or life is incredibly complicated, it is easy to forget the promises of God and His continuous faithfulness in our lives.
Since we have a tendency to forget, let me get painfully practical with you. When you are going through a storm, I challenge you to remember God’s faithfulness by responding to your storm by clinging to Him. For me, an easy way to do this is through journaling. I try to focus on three P’s (gotta love alliteration): prayer, promises, and presence.
Grad a notebook and write down your prayer requests to God. Be specific. This will give you clarity in getting your hopes/worries/thoughts/fears etc. on paper and helps you to cast your cares onto him.
Secondly, write down His promises. Search for Scriptures that apply to your current situation, and claim the promises that God gives us.
Finally, record moments where you see God’s presence at work in your life. Write down these significant events so they will be a spiritual marker on your path towards Him.
Journaling these three things will help you see God’s continuous faithfulness in your life. We can’t forget to remember!
Good post, I’ve often found that journaling, especially during the difficult times, helps me a lot. I haven’t thought of it in terms of the three P’s though.I’ll have to think about how I can use that.