Anyone who knows me fairly well will know that I am a forgetful person. I attribute it to the fact that I am a big-picture person rather than a details person, so sometimes the little things fall through the cracks. In high school and for a while in college I wrote things on my hand so I wouldn’t forget. (Was this a 90’s-early 00’s thing? Do kids still do this? No, they have iPhones? Oh.) It was useful but I began running out of real estate, so I got a planner in college. Eventually I upgraded to a smart phone and that smart phone has a reminders app on it and a calendar with alert settings — a forgetful person’s dream. I’ve gotten a lot better (shhhh, Craig), especially in terms of a work environment. To-do lists are my best friends and I’ve done enough event planning at this point that, in certain environments, I AM the details person. I know. Just go with it.
As helpful as it would be to always remember that thing I was supposed to bring to work or to NOT lock my freshman year roommate out of our dorm room when she's gone to take a shower on more than one occasion (sorry, Christine), I'm finding there are a few more important things to make sure I remember.
Lately I've been thinking, so much of faith is simply remembering.
Remembering who God is. Remembering what he has done. Remembering who you are in light of who he is and what he has done.
Remember well, and your faith will go stronger.
It’s hard to remember when you’re in the thick of it. I get that. I’ve been there…a lot. When you’re overwhelmed or you’re devastated or you’re frustrated, it’s difficult to remember how much you are loved and how Christ has overcome it all. It’s tough to remember that you belong to Him and that he suffered and died on your behalf and conquered death all in the same week — for you. I struggle to remember how powerful and great God is and that he has gone before me and he is with me always, even ’til the end of the age.
As I previously stated, I’m not great at remembering. In the spirit of writing things on my hand to help me remember, I recently got some words permanently written on my arm.
As someone who has struggled with anxiety and fear, this verse means a lot to me: "I said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble, but take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
When I look at my arm I am reminded to take heart. He has overcome the world.
Remember well — who He is. Who you are. What he has done. And keep it in mind while pressing ahead. To me, that’s faith.