We are forgetful by nature. God knows how forgetful we are and throughout the centuries has provided us with reminders of His faithfulness, His sovereignty, and His love.
As we remember the power of the truth in God’s Word, may we not forget: Truth is powerful because God is truth. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the father, except through me” (John 14:6).
God has always set up ways for us to remember. What practice did He establish for the Israelites to remember how He rescued them from slavery in Egypt? See Deuteronomy 16:1, Exodus 12:24-28. (For the full story, read all of Ex. 12.)
What was the reminder of redemption established in the book of Esther 9:23-28?
Moving to the New Testament, what is the reminder that Jesus, Himself, established that we should do in remembrance of Him and His sacrifice (1 Cor. 11:23-26; Matt. 26:26-30)?
What is the significance of remembering Jesus’ sacrifice on a regular basis?
I have lived in many places and visited churches across the world. One of the most beautiful things is that on a Sunday morning, no matter where I have worshipped, no matter whether or not I understood the language, there was a shared understanding when we ate the bread and drank the cup together.
The Lord’s Supper is one of my mom’s favorite parts of worship because she can close her eyes and picture each of the other members of the family taking it, in whatever city or country we find ourselves that day.
It is a time that is set aside to reflect and remember. More than 70 times in the Bible, God calls us to “remember.” He knows that we are forgetful and that even if we know something, we need to be reminded of it. Peter says in 2 Peter 1:12-13 that He will not cease to remind us of the things we already know, because we are forgetful.
God not only gave us the Holy Spirit as a helper and one who walks by our side, but He also gave us His church.
The challenge is: Satan wants to do all he can to hinder us from tapping into the resources that God provides.
He tells us that we are a failure if we ask for help, just like he did with Josephine, whose story I share below (chapter 8, Who Has the Last Word?).
Josephine drove her Camaro from California, halfway across the country to attend college. The university setting, away from family and friends, was a stressful transition.
“I began to withdraw socially. At first, it was an unconscious decision. I avoided the cafeteria, telling myself I had no time for lunch or dinner because I needed to study or practice my music. Overwhelmed with the new homework load and feeling quite out of my comfort zone, I found excuses not to socialize or eat.
“Eventually, it became difficult to eat in public. No red flags went off in my mind. If days had gone by and I was physically weak, I would tell myself that I didn’t have time for a sit-down meal and would drive through somewhere quickly, constantly checking the rearview mirror, afraid that someone might catch me eating. Still no red flags.”
One Monday afternoon, on a segment of Oprah about eating disorders, a woman walked through her “normal” day. Josephine said, “It was like looking in a mirror. That was the moment I realized I had a problem, but I was already so conditioned in my thought patterns and behaviors, I didn’t know how to get out of it.”
Asking for help was a new concept since life had been somewhat idyllic up to that point. She now felt out of control and drowning in loneliness. “I was moody (not eating will do that to you), and kept busy studying in order to avoid the real problem.
“I could have asked for help. People cared. An acquaintance from back home went to school with me there. He was my only friend, really, and having seen the dramatic change from high school to college, he tried to intervene. He would call me most nights after curfew and invite me to lunch the next day. Every night, I would accept, but when the time came for me to eat a meal with him, I would become insecure about whether he was judging my portion sizes or calculating my calorie intake—men, by the way, don’t think that deeply.
“I often initiated an argument with my only friend and walked away angry for the sake of not having to eat in public. Every night, he would call and check up on me, I would apologize, and he’d say, “Want to try again tomorrow?” He was a friend when I didn’t deserve one.”
Josephine spent the entire year starving herself, isolating, and living under the lie that she had everything under control. She never let anyone know what life was really like.
“Admitting I needed help, in my mind at the time, meant failure.”
“My future was unknown territory. I had spent my whole life with a plan and that plan was unraveling. My anxiety got the best of me, and my mind transformed into needing to control the only thing I could: my diet.”
Josephine’s vocal coach was the one that forced her hand. The coach noticed weakness, stress in her voice, and a change in behavior. Counseling was a difficult, but necessary step if she wanted to stay in school. The counselor encouraged her to talk with her parents, in spite of her fear of disappointing or worrying them.
Fast-forward two healthy years later. Josephine was traveling the world, getting involved in mission trips, and using her second language for God’s kingdom. She loved her life, but it was a battle won, not the war.
“Satan never gives up the fight. When my schedule got too busy, or when some guy dumped me, I would have trouble with my old behaviors and damaging thoughts. It caused me, at times, to be either very shy or too forward with men. I regret that too. I was looking for approval when I already had God’s.
“Satan lied when he tried to convince me that I must have all the answers now. He lied when he sent me the message that I was a failure if I asked for help—that’s what a church family is for! He lied when he tried to tell me I was not good enough. I am perfectly and wonderfully made!
“Nowadays, I let my good Christian friends know when I need prayers. I seek out professional help from time to time when I need it. Satan never stops fighting and neither will I, but I no longer fight alone. The verse that has always been there and helped me to remember who is in the driver’s seat is Psalm 4:8. It’s a simple verse, but for someone like me to give it over to God every night and lie down in peace, knowing that He makes me to dwell in safety, it is a huge one.”
“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Ps. 4:8).
This month, we are highlighting various portions of the book Who Has the Last Word? Cutting through Satan’s Lies with the Truth of God’s Word. We invite you to gather a group of women this fall and walk together to Recognize the Lies, Replace the Lies with Truth and Remember the Truth through specific scriptures.
#IronRoseSister #WhoHastheLastWord #truth&lies #WLW