A part of my own personal vision statement is, “I do not dwell on the past.” The key
word here is “dwell!”
If I need to confess, I confess, but then I let go of it. The Lord does not want me to
live in shame or guilt. He wants me to be convicted so that I can confess, and He can
purify (Remember 1 John 1:9!).
If I need to forgive, I speak forgiveness in the Name of Jesus.
If I am grieving, then I will grieve, but I will not dwell on the grief. I will remember
the good.
The Lord tells us to “forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am
doing a new thing” (Isaiah 43:18-19). But then in the same chapter, He says, “Review
the past with me” (v. 26).
There is a time to forget, but…..there is also a time to remember.
I want to remember anything that helps me dwell on the goodness of the Lord, and
anything that builds my faith. When I am about to pray for someone to be healed, I
want to remember biblical examples of healing as well as other times when we have
prayed and people were healed. This is faith building.
I love rainbows, because God told Noah: “Whenever the rainbow appears in the
clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all
living creatures of every kind on the earth” (Gen. 9:16). I know that when I look at
that rainbow, my eyes are locked together with God’s! He’s also looking at it and
remembering His promise!
After David had successfully brought the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem to be
placed in the tent designed for it, he broke out in praise, “Give thanks to the LORD!”
Then he said, “Remember the wonders He has done, the miracles…” (1 Chron.
16:12).
As I recently read these words, I began to remember God-moments in my life, times
I never want to forget. For example, the time when I involuntarily fell under the
power of God while standing in line waiting for prayer, but no one touched me. Or
the time when I was about to be assaulted, as I called on the name of Jesus, and the
man fell unconscious at my feet. I want to remember my first visit to Mozambique in
the bush when I saw the deaf mute speak, the lame woman who walked, and the
blind man who began to see. I want to remember the good years Martha and I had,
and the many good times we enjoyed with our children and grandchildren. I want to
remember the times when we were in deep financial need, some of it our own fault,
and without talking to anyone about it, the Lord blessed us astonishingly.
“Remember the former things,” Isaiah admonishes, “those of long ago. I am God, and
there is no other; I am God and there is none like me… My purpose will stand and I
will do all that I please” (46:9).
Remembering the God-moments of the past – God moments from Scripture, God-
moments in history, God-moments in your own life – adds strength to our faith.
Some things are best forgotten, but some things need to be remembered! Have a
blessed day!