It started as a list. My usual place on the couch turned into my “think tank”. I titled the list “Let me not forget” as I haphazardly wrote down anything that came to mind. Quickly my thoughts became more intentional and the time in my “think tank” was a sacred foray into what God was teaching me.
I would love for all of you to think that I held every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and filtered it through God’s Word, but that is not the way it happened. So many ideas, emotions, and “what ifs” have flowed each day of this strange season we are in. The days I succumb to watching the news are the days my mind goes haywire and the truths that I hold dear are nowhere near. Thank goodness, I recognize the harm this has caused my heart and mind. I am thankful most of my days have been news free.
How do we free our minds from “the news” and set it on the things from above? Where do we start and how do we get there?
What do we do first?
There is not a right answer to this question. As a believer, my answer is to turn to God first even when there are more questions to ask. Let’s look at Habakkuk as we attempt to answer this question.
You might ask “why Habakkuk?” as we move forward. Habakkuk lived during the time when Babylon was becoming stronger and more dominant in the world. It was a time when the people of Judah were surrounded by evil influences and their choices would either lead them closer to God or farther away. Habakkuk was a prophet and the lifeline to God for the people of Judah. He was fighting against the evil his people were turning to. He stood before God and asked the hard questions. Habakkuk begged for answers to lead the people back to God. Chapter One begins with the following questions:
How long, Lord, must I call for help,
but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, “Violence!”
but you do not save?
Why do you make me look at injustice?
Why do you tolerate wrongdoing?
Destruction and violence are before me;
there is strife, and conflict abounds. Habakkuk 1:2-3
Habakkuk beseeches God for a reprieve from evil by asking difficult questions. God listens and answers. He is the choice for the people of Judah and he is the perfect example for us as we ask our own questions right now.
If you are anything like me (I bet you are), new questions pop up every day. We are traveling an unfamiliar path that no one has traversed before. The one thing I am learning is that the more questions I ask of God, the deeper my mind goes into understanding His love and truth. And when I lean in closer to God, I am ready to hear the answers whether I love the outcome or not.
Pray Without Ceasing
My current state of mind is all over the board–up, down, over, right, left, and then it repeats. I lose my center often and only find it again when I breathe deep and pray without ceasing. Don’t believe for a minute that there aren’t distractions that pull me away, but in this time of not knowing, I do so much better when my focus is on Jesus.
Lysa TerKeurst says it like this, “I don’t have answers, but I do have prayers”.
If we continue reading the words from Habakkuk, we learn that he doesn’t just ask questions of God and leave it at that. The second chapter reveals God’s answers to Habakkuk. I love the call and answer format written in the first two chapters of Habakkuk. When we reach Chapter Three, Habakkuk is praying and praising God. It is a beautiful example of faith, surrendering, and trusting God’s control and plan in all situations. The book and chapter end with these words:
The Sovereign Lord is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to tread on the heights. Habakkuk 3:19
Taking time to pray to the One who knows us ultimately leads us on the path we should go (Psalm 32:8). Holding space for God-time daily deepens the core of who we are as we allow God’s truth to guide us.
Let Me Not Forget
So what is on the list that I referenced at the beginning of this post? I began with trivial items such as “let me not forget I have enough food, toilet paper, and Clorox wipes.” I’m grateful that God led me beyond material items to ones that speak about how He is caring for us during a time when we are on uneven ground.
God says to all of us:
Let us not forget that what makes no sense to us makes perfect sense to God.
Remember the whispers of love I shared on the mornings you chose to sit with me.
Let us not forget the laughter and silliness that accompanied time with family or friends whether on Zoom, via text, or FaceTime.
Keep in mind that my perfect plan always arrives exactly when you need it.
I hope you are finding hope and peace during these uncertain times. May you know in the deepest part of who you are that God is good. He is with you in this time of not knowing as you hold onto the One who has the answers.
What would add to the “let me not forget list”?
Let me not forget that what makes no sense to me makes perfect sense to God. #newpost #questions #answers #TellHisStory #linkup Share on XStill asking questions but believing God knows best!
Mary, I LOVE the idea of a “let me not forget” list. And how starting out with “trivial” blessings like toilet paper inevitably leads to deeper truths and promises. Let me not forget that it’s God who holds tomorrow in His sovereign hands, not me. 🙂
Amen. God is the God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is unchanging and so good. I pray you and your family are doing well.
Let me not to be generous and forgiving—I have a job and I’m still getting paid. Our renters are receiving no income—let me not forget that God has blessed me to bless others.
Thank you, Anita! I’m not sure how you are feeling as a teacher but I know my DIL is working harder and sad that she doesn’t get to see her students anymore this year.
You’re in a great book for these times. And, they are crazy times, aren’t they?
Yes, they are! Habakkuk really hits home with how I am feeling and the way to respond.
What comes to mind reading this post Mary, is recognizing the illusion of control.
In ‘normal life’ we think we have a certain amount of control especially type A personalities like mine! But when things go out of our ‘control’ we realize we never had any control, it was only but a false comforting illusion.
God’s the only One who has that control in every & Amy situation & in that there is far more comfort & peace.
All we have control over is our actions & reactions to a perceived out of our control situation 😉
Bless you,
Jennifer
There is an illusion that we have control. It’s what I want but what is best for me is when I release it to God so He can lead me in the next steps. Blessings to you!
I agree, too much news can be really unhelpful. I don’t know what it’s like for you but so much of the “news” here is just people’s opinions about what might happen and paying too much attention only leads to anxiety. Much better to fix our mind on God.
It is important to remember the blessings we have and to remember that God is still in control. I have also found that remembering his faithfulness in past situations gives me strength and hope for this one.
There is just too much “news” daily. Our governor reports daily and then I see multiple headlines throughout the day. It is too much. Keeping my focus on God provides me with the best perspective. I like the idea of looking back to see how God was faithful to give us the strength as we move forward.
Great post. I am going to revisit Habakkuk, it has been a long time since I have read it. Thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you for stopping by, Eric! I pray you are blessed by the words of Habakkuk.
Dear Mary – As a confirmed news junkie, I finally said goodbye to my endless evening viewing about a month ago. It’s done. Over.
And I had decided that today I would end my morning surfing of news sites. Done.
Your post was the icing on the cake, an affirmation that I am making the right choices. A quick check around noon, and I’m finished. I’m trusting that my anxiety will wane as I turn my eyes more fully on Jesus.
Thanks, Mary …
I know there is a feeling that we are missing out when we are not watching and reading all of the news, but I know it’s not true. When I let go of the news, my anxiety receded too. Hope you are hanging in there.
I have had to put a time limit on the news too. I allow myself 10 minutes per day and that’s IT. If anything important is happening, I figure I will hear about it. It’s part of my new self-care routine! I did the same thing with social media too.
Yes, let’s remember all the blessings we have in our lives. Let’s remember God’s love and grace is still with us in times of turmoil. Let’s focus on the good. Thank you, Mary, for this reminder.
I love that you gave yourself a time limit for the news. I believe we will know what we need to know even without watching the news. God is the source of our hope and strength. Time with Him is much better spent than scrolling through social media.
“The one thing I am learning is that the more questions I ask of God, the deeper my mind goes into understanding His love and truth.” Amen to this, Mary. There is so much uncertainty all around us, but we can be certain that God’s love has not changed.
I love asking questions. I know it is the teacher in me but it is also the desire to learn. Just think how much we can learn when we direct our questions to God and wait for Him to teach us. God is unchanging and that is one truth we can hold onto.
So many blessings! Let me not forget the fun we have had baking and watching movies. Let me remember the extra games nights and the feeling of nowhere to be. Let me remember the relief of bringing all my mixed up feelings to God (and my husband) and knowing I’m not alone.
Amen! Thank you for adding to the list. Let us not forget the joy the ordinary things brought us during the time of the pandemic.
Dear Mary,
Oh, I have been reading those verses in Habakkuk lately too! Thank you for this beautiful confirmation today. It seems that every day I need to start afresh, and ask Him to help me remember what I so easily forget. HE is good, and His purposes will remain good for us. Thank you dear Mary, for bringing such encouragement into days that are filled with so much uncertainty.
I start fresh each day too and I believe that God doesn’t mind at all. I forget but God knows my heart. God is good and He has pressed pause for such a time as this. Thank you for being here and joining in the conversation.
Thank you so much for reminding me of Habakkuk, Mary. It breathed such hope into my heart as I identified first of all with his questions, then soaked in how God heard and answered, and finally stirred such a desire in my heart that like Habakkuk, I may have the grace to surrender and trust God’s control and plan in this unprecedented situation and always. The focusing on how God is still in control and is always working for our good has often given me hope in these days. Thank you for all this encouragement, my friend. Love and blessings of hope and peace to you!
I agree with you that the truth that God is in control is what keeps me going. He is our hope and stronghold. Habakkuk takes us through the steps we go through when faced with uncertainty and challenges we aren’t sure how to handle. I relate to Habakkuk and pray that I also reach the place of praise and worship as he did. Thank you for your encouragement today.
This is what I don’t want to forget -> “Keep in mind that my perfect plan always arrives exactly when you need it.”
Amen. I think if I can just constantly keep that at the forefront of my mind, it will be good.
It’s a wonderful truth to keep in mind especially in this day and age. I also need to remind myself that God’s timing is the best timing. Blessings to you.
You have inspired me to read Habakkuk. Love the idea of a list of things to remind us of God’s goodness to us. Let me not forget the beautiful spring that we are experiencing and that is giving me hope. Let me not forget the good times from these months. Let me not forget the lessons learned during this time. Let me not forget God’s grace that was seen each and every day.
Thank you for adding to the list. Spring in my part of the country is holding onto its beauty just a little longer this year. I think God knew we needed that. I pray we take the lessons we have learned during this season of isolation forward with us into the next season.
“Keep in mind that my perfect plan always arrives exactly when you need it.” I don’t have anything to add to the list, however deeply need to not forget that His perfect plan is in the works (even if I don’t see it presently). Even in the little things I get frustrated with (like why are companies not getting back to me to quote me on a deck this summer). He is working it out for my good. We don’t see the big picture and can never forget that! His timing is perfect and right.
You said it well. We cannot see the whole picture but God can. I need to remind myself of this too. I have been known to get frustrated when things are not going my way. The best part is that because God sees and knows the results are always better than what I asked for.
Mary, what a beautiful post, and I love the list of “Let Me Not Forget” items you came up with. The thing God keeps reminding me of are that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and that He is always with me—He’ll never leave or forsake His children.
I’m so thankful for your gentle wisdom, friend!
So good! He is never changing. God is also always by our side. Thank you for sharing your God truths and adding to the list.
I love Habakkuk. One thing that always stands out to me in reading it is that sometimes God’s answers don’t seem to us like the best–in Habakkuk’s case, his nation’s enemies were coming. But God is still good and Habakkuk still found reasons to praise Him. And so can we, even in hard circumstances.
I tell my kids that God has the perfect answers and timing for our lives. They don’t always look like what we imagined but they are always good. I hope I can always praise Him in through the storms and the sunshine.
Such a wonderful post, Mary. Habakkuk is probably my favorite book of the Bible 🙂 as it reminds me of this: even if God never brings blessing again, He is still worthy of my trust and praise. We can be joyful in these days because He is with us and He alone is our salvation. So grateful you shared!
I loved learning more about Habakkuk while writing this post. I was blessed by his faithfulness and willingness to praise God even when it was hard. Thank you for sharing and blessing all of us.
Mary,
Yes, please Lord, don’t let me forget my blessings and ALL the times you have rescued me in the past. Let me not forget the Ebenezers I have raised to your faithfulness and let those give me courage and hope. Let me not forget that I can take heart because Jesus has overcome the world. The news can be added to the “forgettable” list. All God’s truth is under “Let me not forget.” Thanks for this call to remembrance.
Blessings sweet friend,
Bev xx
Your words are powerful, Bev! Thank you for adding to the list. Everything in God is “yes and amen” and His truth reigns because the victory has already been won. Blessings to you and may you continue to see God’s faithfulness everywhere.
I have been keeping journals for each of my sons since they outgrew their baby books, and I have started a coronavirus page in these. Being kind of a slow processor leaves me wordless, but as observations and lessons learned from this season emerge, I hope to leave a record for them. I do wonder what the history books are going to focus on.
I love that you are keeping a journal for each of your sons. I have a journal I began for my grandson, Jack. I am also slowly formulating what I should write about this season of the pandemic. Your sons will love having this record of their lives.