The Importance of Remembering the Lord’s Mercies
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Do you spend time looking back on your life? If you are anything like me, you tend to look towards the future dreaming. However, some people are really good about reflection. They take time to evaluate the past to learn from it and thank God for how He worked in that time. There is great benefit to remembering the mercies of the Lord.
We love to think about new mercies every morning, which is great, but miss out on the lessons we can learn and the faith we can build in seeing how far our Savior has brought us. David knew that his ways in the past were sinful. Looking backward gave him the encouragement to move forward as a transformed man. He could not change the past or avoid the consequences, but he could learn from it and finish well.
We look back to have better futures. We learn from mistakes and we ponder the kindness of continual forgiveness from God. It leads us to appreciate the cross and the resurrection all the more. The reason a lot of the world does not think or care about God each day is that they do not believe they are “that bad” or need a Savior. They can neglect their history of sinful ways and live a lie that they are ok not dealing with reality.
The other side is people who don’t think about God out of fear. They dread looking back because they have disqualified themselves from heaven and forgiveness in Christ, when He is trying to show them that He welcomes them with open arms. We need not be afraid to look back when Jesus has redeemed us. We can bravely face our pasts with Him knowing and clinging to Romans 8:28 which says, "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Our Lord can work out of the broken to present some of the most powerful testimonies of His transforming power. He takes away our shame and replaces it with confidence that we are new creations (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Have you been remembering the mercies of God in your life? How has He taken you out of sinful ways and turned your life around? How has he transformed your thought life or your actions? Are you afraid to look back for any reason? How can looking back with Christ help you to face the past and move forward in the future? God is not done using you, and His mercies are great and new each day. May we remember how He has been merciful before so we can learn and continue to walk in His freedom.
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