Remembering Without Rehashing

Today is day 1 for the 2009-2010 Word Of Life Quiet Time! I took the summer off to read through the Bible in 90 days and am looking forward to getting back into my normal routine. Also this summer I saved up my money and purchased the Warren Wiersbe commentary set and I am really looking forward to their additional insight as I dig into God's Word.

As I read through Psalm 77 I could relate to the emotion that this passage brings about. Could you? Have you ever been in a tough situation and wondered what God was doing? Have you felt yourself sinking into discouragement and then finally had that moment where you felt God lift you up and you began to reflect and remember His goodness rather than wallow in the pit of despair?

I have. In fact, I can feel tears sting my eyes as I even think about those moments in my life.

The writer of this Psalm, Asaph, is feeling low as he begins to pen his thoughts. But as he writes you see the up swing as he goes from despair to a determination to reflecting on God's deliverance.

As I thought about this passage I was reminded of Philippians 3:13-14:

"Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet ; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."

It is important for us to reflect on what God has done in our lives and in the lives of other believers; yet we have to be careful that we don't look back and dig up things that should not be dug up. I applied this passage to my life by being challenged to remember what God has done and to praise Him for it while being careful to not allow my mind to think on things that don't glorify God.

Thinking about a hard or bad situation in your life and how God used it to draw you closer to Himself is fine. But allowing your mind to think about the details and what a person said and how it hurt is not okay to remember. You need to ask God to help you forgive if you haven't already, and if you have, give it back to God...again.