Remembering His Blessings – Michael Youssef

“Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm” (Deuteronomy 5:15).

Throughout Scripture, we see the heart of God and the depth of His disappointment when His people forget about Him and His past mercies, blessings, and grace. In fact, the reason God established all the festivals and celebrations, such as Yom Kippur, Rosh Hashanah, Passover, and others, was to empower the Israelites to constantly remember God’s gracious hand that delivered them out of slavery in Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land. He provided a visible, tangible reminder of His work. Similarly, in the New Testament, Jesus established the Lord’s Supper and baptism to point us to His indescribable love toward us with physical reminders.

Why does God want us to remember? God’s desire for us to recall His past mercies has nothing to do with His own personal insecurities (He has none) and everything to do with empowering us to worship Him rightly. Every time you recall the depth of God’s love for you, He is inviting you to love Him back more deeply and more fully. Every time you remember His matchless love, it brings healing and wholeness, challenging you to respond with praise and surrender. Every time you recall His immense sacrifice, it brings hope and trust that He will do it again. Remembering Him is for His glory and for our good.

If you are feeling defeated and discouraged, you have forgotten something vitally important. Go back to the point where your trouble began and ask, “How did I get here?” Re-evaluate your thinking. Are you focused on your failures or God’s faithfulness? Look back and instead remember those moments of God’s faithfulness.

Our past memories are linked to our future hope. Therefore, loving Jesus with your memory is of vital importance. Many people are held back from greater growth in Christ because they act as though they are bound by their past. But Christ has broken the chains of our sins—past, present, and future. Let those chains fall and see new growth in Christ as you focus on His faithfulness rather than your failures.

Psalm 42 is a great example of how loving the Lord with your memory can fill you with hope, pull you out of the pit of discouragement, and propel you into more fervent faith. Here David presents a problem and a solution: “My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you” (Psalm 42:6). Whether you’re in the valley or on the mountaintop, let David’s cry be your prayer.

Prayer: God, thank You for the many ways You have delivered me, helped me, healed me, and provided for me. Today I choose to dwell on Your faithfulness rather than my own disappointments. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.