From Sally Vanture
“Remember the days of old;
consider the years of many generations;
ask your father, and he will show you,
your elders, and they will tell you.” (Deuteronomy 32:7)
I often find myself living solidly in the present, thinking only of the here and now. And while there is value to living in the moment, I find that in these times I am often weighed down by the blessings I think I deserve and the desires left unfulfilled. In times like these, I am burdened with what I feel is a “lack” of life and I forget all that God has done for me. Like the Israelites in the desert, I begin to worship present idols looking for my heart’s desires to be met. However, just as it is important to live in the present, it is also paramount that we remember the past.
With verses like the one above, I am reminded how crucial it is to remember what God has done for us as individuals and as a community. Sometimes, when you only focus on the moment, it is easy to only see where you feel like God has failed you. However, this view of “God's failure” is only a lie meant to draw us away from Him. When you feel overwhelmed by your disappointment, start to remember where God has blessed you in the past. Recount these events to yourself and share them with others in the community. We must remember that God is good, has been good to us in the past, and will be good to us in the future.
I am a worker in cancer clinical trials, a student of public health, and a friend to many.