Creating Space For Remembering
Why do we always seem to remember the thing(s) that hurt, but so easily forget all the things that encouraged us?
One disappointment overshadows ten answered prayers.
One difficult day makes us forget months of God's faithfulness.
Our hearts naturally drift toward remembering what hurts instead of remembering what God has done.
We remember the hard words someone said.
We remember the prayer God hasn't answered.
We remember the mistake we made last week.
But somehow...
we forget the hundreds of ways God has already been faithful.
The answered prayers.
The unexpected provision.
The conversations that came at exactly the right time.
The doors He opened.
The strength He gave.
The peace that made no sense.
Open your bible and read Psalm 136 (or click here!).
It feels very repetitive when you read through it quickly. Twenty-six times we read the same words: His steadfast love endures forever.
As I read it, I wondered why the psalmist keeps repeating the same phrase. But the more I sat with it, the more I realized that repetition is exactly the point.
God knows how easily we forget. He knows we need to hear the same truth again and again until it settles deep within us.
He knows our hearts need reminding.
Remembering isn't something that happens naturally.
It's something we intentionally create.
Psalm 136:1-3
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
This month, I’m inviting you to create a rhythm of remembering.
Not only at Thanksgiving.
Not only when life is going well.
But every ordinary day.
As I've mentioned before, I often find myself dreaming about what's next. The next project. The next season. The next anything, really.
God has gently been teaching me that gratitude grows when I stop looking only at what's ahead and intentionally remember where He's already been faithful.
Psalm 136 reminds us that gratitude isn't just a feeling. It is a practice.
Over and over again, the psalmist recounts God's goodness throughout Israel's history. He remembers God's creation, His rescue, His provision, His victories, and His faithfulness. After every reminder comes the same declaration:
His steadfast love endures forever.
It's almost as if God is saying,
Don't just remember what I did. Remember what it reveals about who I am.
Every miracle reveals His power.
Every provision reveals His care.
Every rescue reveals His mercy.
Every answered prayer reveals His faithfulness.
Every act of God points us back to the character of God.
And the same is true in our own lives.
When we remember how He provided, we're reminded that He is our Provider.
When we remember how He carried us through a difficult season, we're reminded that He is our Sustainer.
When we remember His forgiveness, we're reminded that He is full of mercy.
When we remember His faithfulness yesterday, we find confidence to trust Him with tomorrow.
Remembering isn't simply an exercise in gratitude. It's an invitation to know God more deeply.
Imagine ending each day by writing down just one reminder of God's enduring love.
One answered prayer.
One unexpected kindness.
One moment of provision.
One beautiful flower.
One encouraging conversation.
One loaf of bread shared around a table.
Little by little, we'd begin training our hearts to notice grace instead of scarcity. We'd become people who expect to see God's fingerprints because we've learned to look for them.
If you've been here for a while, you know that each month I create a scripture writing plan. Each weekday includes one verse centered around a monthly theme and takes just a few minutes to complete. It's one of the simplest ways I know to consistently open God's Word.
This month, I want to add one more practice. Rather than simply writing the day's verse, I want to invite you to begin writing your own Psalm 136.
After each day's Scripture, write one simple sentence:
Today I saw God's steadfast love when...
Today His steadfast love endured through…
Today I am grateful for...
By the end of the month, you'll have an entire list of personal reminders of God's faithfulness. More importantly, you'll have a list of reminders of God's character.
On the days when life feels uncertain, you'll have a tangible record proving that God has been with you all along.
Because the truth is, remembering doesn't change who God is.
It changes us.
As we remember His faithfulness yesterday, we find greater confidence to trust Him with tomorrow.
My prayer is that this month becomes more than just another writing plan. I hope it becomes the beginning of a lifelong rhythm of remembering. A habit of noticing His goodness in ordinary moments and declaring, just as the psalmist did:
His steadfast love endures forever.
A Prayer For Remembering
Father,
Thank You for the countless ways You have been faithful, even when I've been too distracted to notice. Forgive me for the times I focus more on what I don't have than on all You have already given.
Teach me to remember.
Help me recognize Your goodness in ordinary moments, to celebrate answered prayers, to trust You through unanswered ones, and to keep my eyes fixed on Your unchanging character rather than my changing circumstances.
As I write scripture this month, shape my heart into one that naturally remembers Your faithfulness and joyfully gives thanks. May my life become its own Psalm 136, continually declaring that Your steadfast love endures forever.
Amen.