Do not forget your past

We all have our new year's resolutions and one of mine, starting this morning, was to stop my laziness and get my prayer list up to date and in order. That way I am making sure that when I pray my mind doesn't wonder all over the place but it also forces me to focus and remember the things that are really weighing heavily on my mind.

I have started a prayer list a couple of years ago and every now and again I will work through the list and write down the date for when there has been a solution or answer to a specific point. As I was updating the list it was wonderful to realize that over the years literally pages and pages of these requests and problems have found a solution or answer even when at that specific stage it seemed impossible. I can't help but feel uplifted by this witness of God's works and wonders.

So many times we, or others close to us, experience challenging times leading us to count down the days of a year in the hope that the next year will prove more positive. The reality is that as much as there are tough times in our past so there are also good times. Human nature just makes us remember the negative more likely than the positive.

The Bible could probably be defined as a diary and prayer list of Israel and later the early Church, spoken and written down from generation to generation to help them remember what they experienced, both good and bad, and how God has brought solutions to their problems and revealed Himself to them over the years. As much as we can learn and witness God's greatness from the Bible we also have the opportunity to witness the Lord's work in our own lives, and others close to us, by choosing not to forget the past.

Our past is part of our Christian journey and by remembering and celebrating resolutions to challenges and in some cases literally miracles where things just looked impossible, we allow ourselves reflection and strengthening in faith. God was not just actively involved in people's lives during ancient times, but He is still revealing Himself in our own lives on a daily basis. We just need to look out for it and keep record so that we cannot forget.

Maybe rather than just thinking of things to change in the new year, we must also choose to remember our past.

This way our past celebrations will help us face any new challenge that may come in our way in the new year, knowing that God has come through so many times and that He will continue to do so going forward.

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