Stripped: Trusting God When He Allows Others to Hurt Youনমুনা

One of my biggest struggles as a disciple is dealing with unbelief. I want to live not just as a Christian, but as a believer, trusting God blindly with every area of my life. But frequently, I find myself doubting that He will come through for me. This was another area that God was dealing with me in the desert.

He showed me three tools for dealing with unbelief. I called them Re3: Reconsider. Refocus. Remember . You can read more about them in the guided journal I wrote by the same name. First, I must reconsider what I am allowing myself to believe. Next, I need to refocus on what the Bible says, so I can walk in truth without losing sight of what’s real in a very confusing world. And finally, I need to remember God’s faithfulness, power, and manifest presence, not only in my life, but in history and in those close to me (for example, remembering His miraculous healing of my mother’s stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma).

Remembrance was ordained by the Lord. After the Israelites wandered in the desert for 40 years, due to unbelief and disobedience, God gave Joshua instructions for entering the promised land. He commanded Joshua and the Israelites to be courageous to keep the laws He had given them through Moses, and in turn would fight their battles as they took possession of the promised land.

One of the first ways He displayed power through Joshua’s leadership, was a miracle similar to one He did through Moses: the parting of the Red Sea. This time, the Jordan River would stop its flow upstream so the Israelites could cross to the other side on dry ground. Knowing how quickly the previous generation forgot the miracle of the Red Sea, God established a new strategy.

God commanded the Israelites to set up stones of remembrance. He instructed them to pick the stones from right where the priests stood with the ark of the covenant and to do so before the priests walked out of the Jordan. I see two applications for our lives:

1- The stones were to be collected from the place where God’s presence had been (represented by the ark of the covenant).

2- Gathering the stones was to be done before leaving the place of the miracle.

We set up remembrance stones from the place where God’s presence met us, and make provision for our future doubt while we’re in the miracle. We can’t rely on our faulty memory, we must do so when it happens.

This can be something as simple as a prayer journal where you write testimonies, or something more elaborate like an artwork inspired by the miracle, a framed photo you look at daily, or anything that serves as a reminder of what God did for you.

I have a ring that is a reminder of a word God spoke to me from the book of Isaiah. This promise God gave me was so powerful and certain, I memorized the passage and bought a ring that is directly related to the verse. Whenever I wear the ring, I am reminded of His promise and the moment His presence met me in a deeply personal and mighty way. These are ways in which I make provision for the days when I am bound to forget His faithfulness.

When you find yourself replaying the stripping and suffering, use the tool of remembrance instead. Remember God’s faithfulness. Remember God’s promises, provision, and prayers He’s answered. And remember, He is still writing your story.