Scripture:
“And I said, ‘This is my fate; the Most High has turned His hand against me.’
But then I recall all You have done, O Lord;
I remember Your wonderful deeds of long ago.
They are constantly in my thoughts.
I cannot stop thinking about Your mighty works.”
—Psalm 77:10–12 (NLT)
We’ve all been there—those dark nights of the soul when it feels like God is distant, silent, or even turned against us. The psalmist in Psalm 77 voices what many of us have felt but were afraid to say: “This is my fate; the Most High has turned His hand against me.” It’s raw, honest, and deeply human.
In the first half of this psalm, the writer is overwhelmed. He can’t sleep. He’s too troubled to pray. His spirit is searching, asking painful questions:
“Has His unfailing love vanished forever?
Has His promise failed for all time?” (v.8)
But here’s the turning point: “But then I recall…”
1. Recalling What God Has Done
The psalmist doesn’t try to fix his feelings. He doesn’t deny them or pretend everything’s fine. Instead, he turns his focus from what he feels to what he knows. He begins to remember. He brings to mind the mighty acts of God—the times when God parted the Red Sea, delivered His people, and showed His faithfulness in undeniable ways.
There is power in remembering.
When the present feels uncertain and our emotions are shaky, remembering God’s track record grounds our faith. His past faithfulness becomes a lifeline in our current doubts.
2. Making Memory a Discipline
The psalmist says, “They are constantly in my thoughts. I cannot stop thinking about Your mighty works.” This isn’t just a momentary reflection—it’s a mental habit, a spiritual discipline.
What if we chose to rehearse the works of God instead of the worries of life? What if we filled our thoughts with stories of His rescue instead of rehearsing our regrets?
When anxiety floods in, we can train our minds to remember:
- The times God healed.
- The doors He opened.
- The peace He gave in chaos.
- The grace that covered our failures.
- The people He sent at just the right time.
3. Jesus Is the Ultimate Deed to Remember
Ultimately, every “wonderful deed” of the Lord points forward to the cross. In our worst moments, when we feel like God has turned His face away, we look to Jesus, who actually experienced that separation so we never have to.
We can say with confidence: “Even when I feel abandoned, I’m not. Even when I don’t see the answer yet, I can trust the One who gave everything for me.”
Final Thought: Faith That Remembers
Faith is not the absence of doubt or emotion. Faith is choosing to remember when everything in us wants to forget.
If today you feel like the psalmist—overwhelmed, anxious, unsure of God’s nearness—don’t be ashamed. You’re in good company. But don’t stay there. Take the next step: recall all He has done. Let your thoughts be filled with His mighty works.
You may not have answers yet. But you have a history with God—and that history will help you walk through whatever you’re facing now.
