Sometimes I Forget: 60 Reminders of Hope for Your Hard Days

1: God Is Sovereign

Sometimes I forget, Lord, that You are sovereign, ruling over all and exercising Your perfect will. . . .

God will bring this about in his own time. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords. (1 Tim. 6:15)

The sovereignty of God is the one impregnable rock to which the suffering human heart must cling. The circumstances surrounding our lives are no accident; they may be the work of evil, but that evil is held firmly within the mighty hand of our sovereign God.

Margaret Clarkson³

"Dear Lord,

As I look at Rachel. Her well-formed body—outwardly complete, yet inwardly somehow different. I wonder, is this a mistake—a disability as we call it—something that went wrong? Or, somehow, is this how it should be? Is this exactly how You made her?

When her little cells were dividing, did You tell them to divide a little differently, or perhaps stay together instead of parting company?

Did You have plans so great for her that You had to create her as one of the least?

I know You weren’t surprised, Lord, when she was born with a hole in the roof of her mouth, heart anomalies, and an inability to keep acid from scorching her throat.

I know You didn’t look down shocked from Your lofty perch and whisper to Your angels, ‘Something went wrong; this little girl is going to develop slower than most children.’

No, Father, You knew all along. You always know.

You knit her together in the womb just as You do every other being on earth (Ps. 139:13). In fact, before the foundation of the world, You knew her and already planned for her salvation (Eph. 1:3–5).

I know these things, Lord. But . . .

Sometimes it is so hard. Sometimes this world blinds me to the possibilities that exist in Your magnificent realm. Sometimes I forget that with only a word, You spoke the entire universe into existence. That You breathed, and man walked and talked.

Sometimes I forget that You are the Director of the sun and moon. That the winds and rain answer only to You. That, with a wave of Your hand, the mountains move.

It’s just that some days are so difficult in my humanness, Father. Life gets chaotic and hard, and amnesia wipes hope from this finite mind of mine."

I ended this prayer of lament and hope about my daughter that I published in a blog post more than a decade ago with these words: Hope may disappear from view for a time, but the closer I draw to You, the less I need to see Hope to know it’s there. Because You are Hope, Lord, and You never leave us.

As a young mother, I’m not sure my prayer would have ended so hope-filled, but I have learned something about God’s nature as I’ve grown in faith: He is always working in my life as a loving Father. I don’t always like what He allows in my life. Often, I don’t see the purpose or the goodness. But I know He vets everything He allows, so I can accept it as His perfect and holy will. God exercises His sovereignty not based on what makes us comfortable, but on what will edify and refine us. The account of Job gives us a clear picture of His sovereignty in action.

The Lord gave permission to Satan to afflict Job with many hardships (Job 1:6–12). From the death of all of his children, the destruction of his livestock, and the presence of painful boils covering his body, Job greatly suffered and didn’t know why. It seemed cruel. However, later, God allows us a glimpse of His redemptive purpose in the torment as Job obediently intercedes for his friends. God, in His sovereignty, allowed horrible suffering to achieve His plan. Job didn’t suffer for naught. And whether we can see it or not, our suffering is never for nothing. God’s hand is in it all.

So, no, God did not make a mistake when He created Rachel. He never makes mistakes. Like the blind man in John 9:3, she is a beautiful part of His plan to bless and transform, so that God’s works might be displayed.

Whatever difficult situation we face, the God of the universe is in charge of it. Whether large issues or seemingly small ones, He knows what’s going on, and He has a plan. As the Sovereign, He is allowing the hardship in this season for a reason. We may not understand, but when we accept the mystery of the Divine Supreme Being, believing He has control over all and is never caught off guard, we can choose trust over worry. We can look into our unexpected situation with expectancy for how He will use it in our lives—remembering He’s guiding it all.

Sometimes I forget, Lord, that You are sovereign, ruling over all and exercising Your perfect will, that You have divine control over everything that happens. I forget that everything I face has been approved by You for a holy and right purpose. My finite mind cannot always understand. Often, I only sense hardship. Comfort me, Lord, in my confusion and pain. Remind me that what looks chaotic and even scary to me is not leaving You wringing Your hands. You are allowing me to experience this season for a reason. Help me look with expectancy for how You will use it in my life. And help me trust You when You take me down a path different from the one I would choose.

TRUTH REMINDER

Nothing comes to me that doesn’t first go through the Lord, and all He allows and determines has a good and right purpose.

2: God Is Incomparable

Sometimes I forget, Lord, that You are incomparable, unequaled and matchless in all ways. . . .

With whom will you compare God? What likeness will you set up for comparison with him? . . . To whom will you compare me, or who is my equal? asks the Holy One. (Isa. 40:18, 25)

Everything about God is great, vast, incomparable. He never forgets, never fails, never falters, never forfeits His word. To every declaration of promise or prophecy the Lord has exactly adhered, every engagement of covenant or threatening He will make good.

Arthur W. Pink⁴

The storm had been threatening for the last few hours. Finally, the sky released its fury. The rain and wind pummeled us, but it was the lightning that chased us off the lake. We paddled hard to get to shore.

My husband took charge of securing our canoes while I sought shelter from the storm for us and our three boys. It wasn’t much, but the low-hanging branches of a pine tree afforded protection from the worst of the rain. We took what we could get. Thankfully, we don’t need to settle when it comes to our Lord.

Few of us enjoy being tossed around in a storm: whether a literal one or a figurative disturbance in our lives. We’d prefer to be sheltered from the effects of either kind. Unfortunately, we don’t always look in the right place when (not if) the storms of life hit. We trust in our own strength to anchor us until the squall passes. Sometimes we turn to others for help. Occasionally, we even ignore the need for refuge.

Each of these can sometimes be effective. However, when our hearts are fearful and hurting, we need an anchor that will never fail us, a shelter that is infinitely strong and always present. That security can only be found in the shadow of the Almighty (Ps. 91:1), the supreme Lord, the sovereign and all-powerful One.

The Most High offers unshakable and unchanging promises. Promises to provide what we need to weather any storm. He’ll set us high upon a rock (Ps. 27:5). He’ll hide us under His wings (Ps. 91:4). He’ll shield and protect us. And one day He’ll wipe away all our tears (Isa. 25:8; Rev. 21:4). In His supremacy, He is incomparable. Who else can speak the universe into existence? What other being can control the winds and rain? Where else can we find one who will never falter, never forget, and never fail us? And who else would give up their life for the forgiveness of our sins?

Nothing can equal the Lord’s strength, wisdom, peace, mercy, love, and holiness. Nothing can be as compassionate, generous, gracious, majestic, perfect, comforting, and knowledgeable. No one can compare to the Creator of the universe. He is unmatched in character and in action.

King David realized this truth, but he also knew how easy it is to forget. So he wrote about the hope he found in the Almighty. He sang about the greatness of God. He penned poems and prayers acknowledging the Rock that would never fail him. He reminded himself of the promises found in the Lord by praising Him.

Like David, we also struggle with remembering where our true security lies. Life distracts. Our pride rears its ugly head. Other options entice. So let’s offer ourselves reminders of where to look, like this praise the king tucked into a psalm of thanksgiving and cry for help:

Lord my God, you have done many things—

your wondrous works and your plans for us;

none can compare with you.

If I were to report and speak of them,

they are more than can be told. (Ps. 40:5)

Scripture assures us that nothing and no one is mightier or more trustworthy than our Lord. So why would we place our security anywhere else? With the help of the Holy Spirit, let’s begin to live with our faith firmly planted in the Incomparable.

Sometimes I forget, Lord, that You are incomparable, unequaled and matchless in all ways. I forget that no one can replace Your faithfulness, love, and power. No one can be more righteous or compassionate. Nothing else could defeat death itself and provide for my salvation. Remind me, Lord, of Your perfect nature, the standard by which every other being is measured and falls short. Help me plant my faith firmly in You, trusting You and You alone for my security.

Truth Reminder

Only the Lord can provide the security I long for, security that will last for eternity.

3: God Is Self-Sufficient

Sometimes I forget, Lord, that You are self-sufficient, existing independent of anyone or anything. . . .

The God who made the world and everything in it—he is Lord of heaven and earth—does not live in shrines made by hands. Neither is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives everyone life and breath and all things. (Acts 17:24–25)

Fountain of good, all blessing flows From Thee; no want Thy fullness knows; What but Thyself canst Thou desire? Yet, self-sufficient as Thou art, Thou dost desire my worthless heart. This, only this, dost Thou require.

Johann Scheffler⁵

Before my feet hit the floor in the morning, my mind is running to complete my to-do list. Bible reading, prayer, ministry work, editing, gardening, food prep, housecleaning, laundry—I strive to make it all happen. No boredom here; there’s too much to do, and I think it’s all up to me.

But is it really? Who told me that? If I’m honest, my pride. I don’t want to look weak. I don’t want to let my people down. I don’t want to be seen as incompetent, undependable, or unworthy. Yet I run myself ragged chasing after everything without seeking God’s thing(s). I lose my joy as I seek the world’s accolades instead of God’s anointing. I miss out on the blessing of being as I bow to a doctrine of doing.

Many of us fall into the trap of thinking we are indispensable. It cripples our service to others and our worship of, and relationship to, the Lord. We err in believing God needs us to do our part for His plan to be enacted. Although such thinking is well intended, it falls short of the truth. God can use us (and will, if we have a willing spirit), but He doesn’t need us.

God is the only One who is needed, the only One truly self-sufficient. He doesn’t need anyone or anything. Our service, our tithe, our obedience serves a purpose for us, not Him. It’s true, the Lord does have a plan. He does have a place for us in fulfilling that plan. But it’s important for us to remember that although God delights in us, His children, His plan is not dependent on us.

It’s beautiful, really! A critical characteristic we often overlook, God’s self-sufficiency, means we can breathe a bit easier. It’s not up to us; His plan will be fulfilled no matter how well we perform. And because He doesn’t depend on anything or anyone else, He never runs out of grace, mercy, kindness, power, wisdom, peace. . . . His well never runs dry. His abundance flows endlessly. Therefore, when we do step out to serve Him in obedience and love, not out of some skewed sense of have to, we don’t have to worry we won’t be enough or won’t have enough to do the tasks laid before us. God has all He needs, so He will be the enough for us.

Sometimes I forget, Lord, that You are self-sufficient, existing independent of anyone or anything, that You need no one, that You have all You need in Yourself. I forget that You can satisfy all our needs because Your well of goodness, peace,