Newer isn’t always better. Our spiritual history may actually help us get the breakthrough we’re looking for.
I was sorting through some old notebooks the other day, and a note card fell out. It was a crafted prayer I wrote about 5 years ago for my family. I had tucked it away, and totally forgot it.
It was a small card, and filled up front and back with a prayer I wrote about a broken relationship. At that time, it felt like the situation was never going to change. These relationships have been broken for years. Honestly, I didn’t know if my prayers were going to make any difference at that point. Still, I remembered that no request is too small or insignificant to God. And sure enough,
As I read it, I was amazed that most of my requests have been answered. Changes didn’t happen overnight, but they did happen. As I remembered how God made possible what I thought was impossible, my faith rose up. Suddenly, all of the negativity I felt that week vanished.
In our social media world, we’re always looking for the latest news and trends. We rarely take the time to reflect on our past. To be honest, I feel that my generation, me included, don’t really understand the value and purpose of history. I think that’s why I didn’t recognize the value and power of my own history with God. Our history with God is made up of all of the interactions and experiences between us and God. Every prayer He answers adds to that history. When it comes to building up our faith and spiritual maturity, our history with God can be a powerful tool.
History gives us perspective. It shows us the big picture and reminds us that real change takes time. It helps us to be patient and wait for God’s timing. When we can’t see the hand of God at work, our history reminds us that God is indeed still working. When we feel discouraged in the middle of the storm, it reminds us that our journey is not finished yet. Every experience we have with God, whether big or small, adds to our faith. And every interaction we have with God brings our faith to the next step.
When I feel anxious and fearful, these negative emotions can be so overwhelming that I feel paralyzed. My mind jumps to the worst case scenario and I sink into a pit of negativity. And that’s exactly what happened to me recently. I felt the challenges I had were so big… so beyond me that I couldn’t muster up any faith to pray. But when I found that prayer card, and remembered how God answered the prayers that I thought were impossible, my faith rose up. I remembered that God is bigger than my challenges. I remembered that despite my limitations, and my lack of faith, God really can do above and beyond what I can ask, think or imagine.
Are you also facing a difficult situation lately? Do you feel like you’re dealing with a giant in your life? Maybe it’s time for you to take a break and remember how God has showed up for you in the past. Push the pause button on your worries, and think about your own history with God. If you keep a journal, this is the perfect time to take it out and read a few pages. Not only will you remember God’s faithfulness to you, you’ll also be encouraged by how far you’ve come and how much you’ve grown in your own journey. And you may even see that your current challenge is not as big as you thought. God can and He will help you walk through it, just like He did before. And you will come out of the storm amazed and transformed.
And that’s our podcast for this week. I’d like to wish everyone a very happy holiday season. Thank you so much for listening. Merry Christmas and we’ll see you in the new year!
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