How does remembering better times help me?

Here's the Precious Prodigal post for August 12, 2014: How does remembering better times help me? #Godneverchanges #Godofthevalley Please "Share" using this "ShortLink" = http://bit.ly/XfzGFj

Psalm 42:4 "When I remember these things..."

The very nature of this blog is such that hurting people are drawn to it. I’m aware of that, and I’m also aware that it isn’t easy to stay positive in the midst of negative circumstances. People who haven’t walked the hard path of loving a prodigal can’t imagine the stress, the pain or the fear that we live with on a daily basis.

The families of prodigals need recovery as much as the prodigal does, and that is never truer than when alcohol or drugs are involved. Whether we are recovering from substance abuse ourselves or we are the ones who love that person, it’s a tough path. And recovery is an individual choice…both for them and for us.

Once we choose recovery, anything that can help us keep on keeping on for one more day is worth considering. That’s why I’ve been writing about things we need to lay aside and things we need to hold fast. And some of the things we’ve been looking at are the things we need to remember.

David knew about loving a son who broke his heart. Bible scholars believe he wrote Psalm 42 during the time of Absalom’s rebellion. Having his own son trying to kill him and take the kingdom had to rip his heart out. And while our prodigals may not be trying to take our lives, they sure have managed to take our joy, our peace, and even our hope, haven’t they?

David said his tears had been his “meat day and night.” He said they seemed to asking him, “Where is thy God?” (Psalm 42:3) I’ve been there, haven’t you? There have been times when I cried for so long I was sure I couldn’t possibly shed one more tear. Weary of the battle, the disappointments, and the fear, I too have wondered if God knew or cared.

But David didn’t stop there. He went on to say he remembered some things and, in remembering, he found hope. He remembered the good times, the times of joy and hope and rejoicing. He remembered times of worship in God’s house and the voices of “joy and praise.” (Ps 42:4) He also remembered doing those things with a multitude. He might feel isolated and alone now in his pain, but remembering better times gave him hope.

Remembering better times can give us hope too. When we’re in the valley and our hearts are broken, we can look back to the mountaintop when we had joy in our worship. And in looking back, we can remind ourselves that the God of the mountain is still the same God in the valley.

We can remind ourselves that the times of brokenness don’t last forever and that the times of joy will come again. We can remind ourselves that when we can’t see God’s hand, we can trust His heart. And those memories of better times might be one of the things we need to hold fast.

Challenge for Today: Can you, just for today, remind yourself of better times? Can you remember God is still the same God today?