It's funny how the Lord seems to work in my life. I often seem to "get" something. I can write about it or teach about it. But I don't realize how important this thing I "get" really is, until I really, really need to "get" it. This lesson I'm "getting" in a big way is the importance of celebrating our victories--and really of how important journaling is to my faith.
I'm struggling.
Grief is slow moving.
I'm trying to stay faithful to what works for my spiritual life--reading and journaling my prayers. Being able to go back and read about what the Lord is doing in my life is such a help and source of strength for my faith. It's a tangible reminder of the victories in life. The things He's brought me through. The lessons He's taught me.
So when I'm struggling for words to pray (as I seem to often be these days), I'll re-read things I've written in the past.
On May 26th, which is just a couple short weeks before we found out we were expecting #4, I wrote this:
As if I needed a reason to journal--Joshua and Judges are perfect reminders. Those who saw and remembered the Lord's work served Him. The generations that didn't remember fell away and served other gods. Let me never forget all the things You've done for me and for Christians throughout history.
I think we're also responsible for sharing what You're doing for us so that others can see it and remember what You've done for them.
The Israelites were always building altars to remember Your work--visible reminders. Exactly why having scriptures and things that remind us of You in our homes is so important.
Keep it visible. Remember.
Thank you for all You've done for me and my family! We are so blessed. Thank you for pointing me to those scriptures as I read them.
Remembering all the victories the Lord has given me is exactly what's helping me get through the toughest times of my grief right now. Yes, I'm still breaking down. Yes, I'm still visibly grieving. Yes, I'm still dealing with anxiety.
But I know my Lord is faithful.
He's proven it to me. He's proven it to my family. He's proven it to so many of you.
Let's remember that.
Let's never stop remembering that.
Let's never stop sharing that with others.
I encourage you to read Joshua and Judges and look for that theme. The ebb and flow of the Israelites' faith is so evident. So frustrating to read about when it seems so obvious as to why they kept falling away. But we do it all the time. We forget the victories. We don't share them with others. We don't let them encourage us and help us through our trials. We don't remember. It may be one of the biggest benefits of journaling for me--to have my victories all written down so they can't be so easily forgotten.
I leave you with a passage from 1 Chronicles 16 today. It's a great encouragement to constantly be remembering and sharing our victories with others:
Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness.
Let the whole world know what he has done.
Sing to him; yes, sing praises.
Tell everyone of his miracles.
Exult in his holy name;
O worshipers of the Lord, rejoice!
Search for the Lord and for his strength,
and keep on searching.
Think of the wonderful works he has done,
the miracles, and the judgments he handed down.
(verses 8-12)
Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
Publish his glorious deeds among the nations.
Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
He is to be revered above all gods.
The gods of other nations are merely idols,
but the Lord made the heavens!
Honor and majesty surround him;
strength and beauty are in his dwelling.
(verses 23-27)
What do you need to remember today?
**If you're a new reader, this post refers to grief. I recently lost a baby to miscarriage--that's what I'm grieving. If you'd like to read more about that story, you can find it here. Thanks for reading!**
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