Wednesday's Washing: When all else fails, remember.

Wednesday's Washing

When all else fails, remember.

"These things I remember as I pour out my soul...” Psalm 42:4

I am currently in a season where I am walking with some friends through some extremely difficult circumstances. The level of pain they're experiencing is heartbreaking, and I have shed more than just a few tears on their behalf.

Yesterday morning, I woke up with one of those dear ones on my heart - they're story so fresh in my mind. So I spent the majority of my devotional time praying for them.

When your heart is so connected to a person that when they hurt, you hurt, you'd better have a way to release all that anguish. Otherwise, you'll be of no real help to them when they need you most.

As I was praying for my friend, t he Lord lead me to Psalm 42. A distinctive theme stood out for me from this passage and it became my prayer. "Lord, cause them to remember."

When we, or someone we love is hurting, it can be hard to see beyond the pain. However, I think God gave us the gift of remembering for a reason: because it will serve us well when our souls are in anguish.

REMEMBER God's faithfulness to you in the past - the times He's met you and come through on your behalf. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

REMEMBER how He's comforted you. (Matthew 5:4)

REMEMBER what His word says, and what He's promised you. (Psalm 18:30)

REMEMBER what He says about you. (Romans 8:35-39)

REMEMBER who He is. (Deuteronomy 20:4)

REMEMBER that He is good. (Psalm 145:9)

Remembering stirs our faith. It encourages us in our struggles, and it reminds us that we are not in this alone. If you need to take some time remembering today, please do so. Read the verses I listed and as you remember, and then thank the Lord for his faithfulness to you.

Psalm 42

Amplified Bible (AMP)

1 As the deer pants [longingly] for the water brooks,

So my soul pants [longingly] for You, O God.

2 My soul (my life, my inner self) thirsts for God, for the living God.

When will I come and see the face of God?

3 My tears have been my food day and night,

While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”

4 These things I [vividly] remember as I pour out my soul;

How I used to go along before the great crowd of people and lead them in procession to the house of God [like a choirmaster before his singers, timing the steps to the music and the chant of the song],

With the voice of joy and thanksgiving, a great crowd keeping a festival.

5 Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why have you become restless and disturbed within me?

Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall again praise Him

For the help of His presence.

6 O my God, my soul is in despair within me [the burden more than I can bear];

Therefore I will [fervently] remember You from the land of the Jordan

And the peaks of [Mount] Hermon, from Mount Mizar.

7 Deep calls to deep at the [thundering] sound of Your waterfalls;

All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.

8 Yet the Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime,

And in the night His song will be with me,

A prayer to the God of my life.

9 I will say to God my rock, “Why have You forgotten me?

Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?”

10 As a crushing of my bones [with a sword], my adversaries taunt me,

While they say continually to me, “Where is your God?”

11 Why are you in despair, O my soul?

Why have you become restless and disquieted within me?

Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him,

The help of my countenance and my God.

Father, when our hearts ache and our souls feel crushed, remind us that we are not alone. You are ever mindful, ever watching and ever near to the broken-hearted. You have never, nor will you ever forsake us. Please come and comfort your people.

I am the Secretary and Ladies' Ministry Leader at Calvary Community Church, in Houston. I am “Ebby” (my grandma name) to many, and “Mom” to one adorably sweet canine named, Beau. I began attending Calvary almost 25 years ago, and since then, my understanding of who Jesus is and how big His love is for me, has grown considerably. I guess you could say I’ve grown up at Calvary.

I've always had a heart for serving others and ministering to women, and I deeply love the church. She is a beautifully flawed menagerie of the face of God and I think she's pretty amazing. I believe in beautiful messes because I am one. If God can use this woman to touch just one soul through anything I say or do, then my life has been well spent.