When You Need to Remember What You’re Quick to Forget

I was in an unexpected season of change and everything about my life felt unfamiliar and unsteady.

A role that had empowered me had shifted. A dream that had excited me had shattered. And a relationship that had inspired me had dissolved.

I sensed the Lord calling me to something new, but I felt stuck in the fog of my loss. My imagination for what could be was stunted by the loss of what had been.

Even though I’d worked through my sorrow, the cloud of disappointment that had settled over my present was dimming my vision for the future.

It felt dangerous to dream again; risky to believe God would provide what I needed when He’d allowed me to lose what I’d wanted.

“What do you need to move forward?” a friend asked one day on our weekly walk. We’d been talking about the new dream God seemed to be nurturing in my heart, and I’d finally admitted my inward struggle.

The question dangled between us in silence for a while.

Then, I responded with an honest whisper. “I need to find the courage to trust Him again..”

My friend smiled and said, “I could name 10000 reasons you can trust Him, but I’m just going to ask Holy Spirit to remind you of God’s faithfulness instead.”

After our walk, I headed home and was unloading groceries when a gallon of milk slipped out of my hands. It landed with a splat on the kitchen floor and instantly a puddle of white liquid pooled at my feet.

With an exasperated sigh, I went in search of a mop to clean up the mess. When I returned to the kitchen, the sight of the milk jug sitting on the floor next to the snow-hued splatter triggered a memory I’d long forgotten.

So I let my mind wander to a long ago day when another gallon of milk had been the megaphone God had used to reveal His goodness…

We had just moved to a new state with two small children so my husband could complete his medical training. Our bills were tall and our income was short.

We’d reached the limit on our grocery budget and pay day was a week away. There was no milk in the fridge and no money to buy more. Unaware of our lack, my toddler continued to ask for milk.

All day long, I’d calmly explained that we had no milk. But eventually, my daughter’s frustration and exhaustion turned to tears. And as the afternoon gave way to evening, she threw herself on the floor and cried over the sippy cup that held water instead of what she really wanted.

I knew our milk shortage wasn’t a dire situation. But it was a quiet reminder of all the uncertainty that had come with our move—the financial insecurity, the relationship drought, and the unknowns of a new community. Suddenly, my own exhaustion and anxiety seeped out of my eyes in a torrent of tears. And with a muffled wail, I dropped to the floor and cried right along with my little girl.

Later that night, I was getting ready to put the kids to bed when the doorbell rang. With my toddler planted on my hip, I opened the door and found a young woman standing on my front step with a gallon of milk.

She hadn’t known our specific need, but the Lord had prompted her to swing by our house after her trip to the grocery store.

Two decades later as I mopped a murky puddle of milk off the floor, my fog of forgetfulness lifted. Thanks to my friend’s prayers and the Holy Spirit’s creative reminder (John 14:26), I stood in my kitchen and practiced the discipline of remembering. And as I looked back at God’s faithfulness, I could see it clearly—how He is always a step ahead of us and right beside us, too.

As I finished putting the groceries away, I picked up the phone to tell my friend how God had answered her prayer through a splatter of milk. And I invited the Spirit to keep reminding me of God’s goodness…one forgotten memory at a time.

Because looking back is often the key to hoping forward.

And when my heart is wary and my faith feels wobbly, I’m to remember what I’m quick to forget:

God is faithful. Yesterday. Today. And Always.

“O True God, You are my God, the One whom I trust…” Psalm 63:1a, The Voice

Friends, thank you for seeking Jesus with us today. If you’ve got a moment to share, we’d love to hear how God has been faithful in your own life. Tell us in the comments so we can look back and hope forward together.

If you need help remembering God’s faithfulness, I’ve created a free download for you. Following King David’s example, we’ll use Psalm 63 to help us look back with gratitude and move forward with hope. Let the practice of remembering infuse your prayer life and your heart with fresh hope!

You can download it here. And if you’d like more encouragement, you can find another devotion I’ve written about the practice of remembering at Proverbs 31 today.

Also, if you’re looking for a new way to connect with Jesus this summer, I’ve written a devotional to help you draw closer to Jesus. You can purchase a copy of Encounter here: https://aliciabruxvoort.net/encounter/.

Finally, did you know that I don’t just love to write about God’s Word; I love to teach it, too! There’s still room on my speaking calendar for the 2025/26 school year, and I’d be delighted to speak at your next event. I’m happy to share one of my favorite messages or create something new to best fit your vision. Check out my events page for more information and don’t hesitate to contact me if you’d like to explore the possibility of partnering in ministry in the year to come.