The NFL begins its regular season tonight and football fans will quickly move on and stop praising the Philadelphia Eagles for being last year's Super Bowl Champions. Once a new season starts, we quickly ask what have you done for me lately?
Even Eagles fans have a similar mentality about the team because of their starting quarterback tonight. As Super Bowl MVP, Nick Foles, goes under center for the season's kickoff (Carson Wentz is still recovering), they are doubtful he can pick up where he left off last year.
Focusing on how bad Foles and the offense looked during the preseason, they've already forgotten how amazing he played during their Super Bowl run.
Even though Foles won the ESPY for best championship performance, outdueled Tom Brady on the largest stage, and came in as a backup to lead his team through the playoffs, it doesn't seem to matter anymore. Doubts and concerns about the new season have simply taken over.
In anticipation of watching football tonight, and thinking about the mentality of Eagles fans, I think we should unpack a similarity in our own lives.
How easily do we forget God’s goodness and faithfulness when we enter a new season? Don't we quickly move on to our next obstacle filled with worry, despite God incredibly coming through for us in the past?
When we face a new delay or our plans don’t turn out the way we hope, we allow doubt and concern to creep in. We pridefully ask, what have You done for me lately? Our praise seems to quickly vanish the first sign of trouble.
How can we forget who God is, how much He loves us, and what He promises us? He has given us Jesus and so much more than we deserve, yet we lose sight of this when focusing too much on our current problems.
Alternatively, we need to look back in remembrance and cling to God’s repeated faithfulness over the years.
Peter writes in 2 Peter chapter 1 about growing in faith, paying attention to scripture, what God has given us, and His many promises.
Verses 12-13 (NLT) say, "Therefore, I will always remind you about these things—even though you already know them and are standing firm in the truth you have been taught. And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live.”
We must remember the truth of the scripture and the character of God, so we don’t let disappointment from our current season take over. When we rejoice because of what we’ve already received, we can wait with hope for what we’ll experience next.
Today, let's be encouraged by these uplifting words from Psalm 103:2-5 (NLT): "Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things He does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things…”
I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, forgive me for forgetting how amazing Your love and faithfulness truly are. I’m grateful for all You’ve done for me and continue to do. You are great and powerful. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
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