Nobody likes to feel forgotten—forgotten by your friends, family, coworkers, bosses, spouse, or just forgotten. Forgotten feels less than, not important, or overlooked. Forgotten feels lonely.

 

At times I have felt forgotten by God.

Every time a friend got married, had a baby, or got a raise or a promotion, it felt as if I had been forgotten. While I was happy for them, I kept thinking, “What about me God? Do I not deserve these blessings?” It took a lot of time for me to understand that I had not been forgotten by God. I have been provided for differently by Him. A woman in my community group was speaking about her husband and her frustrations with him. She quickly followed up with, “but I have to remember, he is God‘s provision for me.” She discussed how she was being shaped into the person God wanted her to be through her husband‘s flaws. That began a process of me thinking of my singleness in a different light. It was God’s provision for me in that moment.

“It took a lot of time for me to understand that I had not been forgotten by God. I have been provided for differently by Him.”

Because I am so naturally independent, it would have been my instinct to create a world where a spouse and children filled all the voids. In the absence of this, I have had to learn to rely more on the community God has provided for me. I have become more comfortable reaching out to others for help than I would have had my life worked out the way I wanted it to. I have even started to relish reaching out. The reason I say I relish it is that the response from God’s people has become a sweet picture of His provision for me. Just in the last few years, I have experienced a number of circumstances that were clearly God’s provision for me. I have had several people come do yard work while I was not even home, men from my community group who cut down a tree in the middle of an ice storm, and men and women who provided direction regarding a job search during a very difficult time. These are just a few of the specific ways I have experienced God’s provision.

“That began a process of me thinking of my singleness in a different light. It was God’s provision for me in that moment.”

Psalm 65:9-13 describes a God who cares and provides for us daily.

“You take care of the earth and water it,
making it rich and fertile.
The river of God has plenty of water;
it provides a bountiful harvest of grain,
for you have ordered it so.
You drench the plowed ground with rain,
melting the clods and leveling the ridges.
You soften the earth with showers
and bless its abundant crops.
You crown the year with a bountiful harvest;
even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture,
and the hillsides blossom with joy.
The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep,
and the valleys are carpeted with grain.
They all shout and sing for joy!”

Recently, we sang “Trust You” by Aaron Keyes during service. I truly listened to the words:
“All is laid bare in your sight.You know my ways.
I believe you will provide all I need in my life.
I will not fear anymore,
For I will, ever trust you, Jesus. “

I realized this is becoming truer every day.

Do not misunderstand: I still feel forgotten from time to time, and I grieve the life I wanted but haven’t had, but I grow increasingly in the areas where He is working in me through this. I remind myself this is His provision for me—that I serve a God who cares enough not to give me what I want, but what I need.