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Lamentations 3.19-22 (NIV)
I remember my
affliction and my wandering; . . . yet this I call to mind and therefore I have
hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions
never fail.
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| The study of the past can enrich the present.* |
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I really get tired of hearing people say, “Everything
happens for a reason.” I don’t believe it’s true. Not the way they mean it. They’re
implying that everything that happens to us – good or bad – is part of God’s
big plan. I don’t intend to discuss my reasons for disagreeing because I want
to dwell on an alternate theory: Everything that happens to us is an opportunity.
We are shaped by a world that is
beyond our control but we are also shaped by the choices we make. Things that
happen to us require us to make choices and those choices make things happen. The
random happenings of our lives and the choices we make and the results of those
choices are fuel for the fire of our memory. Remembering adversity helps us to
grow stronger. Remembering the results of our bad choices schools us to make
good choices. Calling to mind the good things gives us hope.
To paraphrase a famous quote: those who forget the
past are doomed to repeat it. We shouldn’t forget the bad things that happen to
us – and especially the bad choices that probably led to them. But what we
should dwell on is God’s
faithfulness.
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| We live in clear and present danger. . . The clear and present danger is found in our short memories.* |
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