How can reflecting on God's deeds strengthen our faith during difficult times? The anchor verse Psalm 77:12: “I will reflect on all You have done and ponder Your mighty deeds.” Setting the scene • Asaph begins Psalm 77 weighed down by trouble, yet determination rises in verse 12. • He chooses to shift from feelings to facts—the settled record of God’s mighty works. • This deliberate remembrance becomes the hinge that turns lament into renewed confidence. The power of remembering • Remembrance fixes the mind on the unchanging character of God rather than the shifting circumstances of life. • It draws truth from past realities into present struggles, proving that the God who acted then is still active now. • Recalling concrete deeds supplies objective evidence that faith is reasonable, not wishful thinking. • Memory fuels worship; gratitude grows when God’s interventions are recounted. • Testimony multiplies strength within the community, encouraging others who are walking through similar valleys. Scriptural anchors for reflection • Psalm 103:2: “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and do not forget all His kind deeds.” • Deuteronomy 7:9: “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.” • Lamentations 3:21-23: “Yet I call this to mind, and therefore I have hope: Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!” • Hebrews 13:8: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” • Romans 15:4: “For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope.” • Exodus 15:11: “Who among the gods is like You, O LORD? Who is like You—majestic in holiness, revered with praises, performing wonders!” Practical ways to remember God’s deeds • Keep a written journal of answered prayers and providential moments; re-read during trials. • Speak testimonies aloud in family or small-group gatherings, allowing collective memory to grow. • Sing biblically rich hymns and songs that recount salvation history; melody helps truth lodge deeply. • Mark significant places or dates—stones of remembrance like Israel’s memorials by the Jordan. • Frame Scripture verses around the home or workspace, turning the heart toward divine acts throughout the day. • Celebrate communion and other ordinances with sober joy, consciously connecting them to Christ’s finished work. What grows in us when we remember • Hope: fresh expectation that God will act again. • Peace: assurance that the One who governed yesterday still governs today. • Perseverance: courage to endure because the outcome is entrusted to proven hands. • Wisdom: discernment shaped by observing divine patterns of faithfulness. • Worship: deeper affection and reverence springing from concrete evidence of grace. Walking forward in confidence Reflecting on God’s deeds gathers scattered thoughts and anchors them to eternal reality. Each remembered mercy becomes a stepping-stone across present waters, confirming that the Lord who split seas, sustained prophets, and raised Christ will likewise sustain all who call on His name. |
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