by Marilynn Chadwick
Be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live (Deuteronomy 4:9a NIV).
Forgetfulness may be one of the most serious hindrances to answered prayer. Scripture points to how forgetting God’s power and blessings hinders the flow of answered prayer. Even more serious is how forgetfulness undermines our relationship with our heavenly Father. It’s easy to get caught up in the flurry of day-to-day life. We not only miss opportunities to pray, but we can also forget to notice answers when they do come. The Lord knows our propensity to be forgetful. Scripture is brimming with reminders: “Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful” (Colossians 4:2). The word “remember” is found in the Bible over 200 times!
Forgetfulness makes us spiritually dull. I sometimes catch myself stewing over a problem before I finally remember to take it to the Lord in prayer. Paul reminds us to turn those worries into prayers: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-8). It’s clear. Prayer, thankfulness, and peace of mind go hand in hand!
There is more about praise in the Bible than prayer. Ancient Israel repeats the vicious cycle of worshiping God, followed by falling away, whenever they forget his mighty miracles. God places blame squarely on Israel and admonishes parents to teach their children to remember him—and his miracles. “Only be careful and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them” (Deuteronomy 4:9).
Forgetting to be thankful empties prayer of its power. Why not think of ways to refresh your own memory? Try giving thanks throughout the day. You might notice a lifting of your mood. Apparently, these “feel good” responses have a physiological basis. Researchers found subjects who practiced sustained gratitude for just five minutes experienced a rise in the level of disease-fighting antibodies, lasting for over five hours!
Or take a lesson from young Molly, who discovered a simple way to be more thankful. She began writing in her “thank you book” each day. Finding only a few things at first, her daily list eventually numbered in the hundreds as she began noticing God at work. Her family watched her change from a somewhat depressed teen to one whose faith and positive attitude inspired those who knew her. Spend time remembering places where God has answered your prayers. Reminisce with family or friends about past victories. Better yet, start your own thank you book.
In Prince Caspian, book 2 of C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia, the children are a dangerous and grueling uphill climb. They’re exhausted and ready to give up when they come to a cliff. They look down on a little town where they had once won a decisive victory. “By jove,” said Edmund, “we fought the Battle of Beruna just where that town is! This cheered the children more than anything.” Lewis adds, “You can’t help feeling stronger when you look at a place where you won a glorious victory.”
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