Finding Hope When You Feel Forgotten By God

Finding Hope When You Feel Forgotten by God

Have you ever felt like God has forgotten you? Like you're going through a difficult season and wondering if God even knows where you are? This feeling is more common than you might think, and it's a painful place to be.

Does God Know Where I Am Right Now?

When my son was just 10 years old, during a particularly difficult season in our family's life, he asked me a profound question: "Dad, does God know where we are?" That question resonated deeply with me because I've asked it myself during challenging times.

The Psalmist David expressed this same feeling when he wrote, "How long, O Lord, will you forget me? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?" (Psalm 13:1). It's a brutal prayer, but an honest one that many of us have prayed in our darkest moments.

Why Being Forgotten Hurts So Much

Being forgotten is one of the most painful experiences we can endure. Psychological studies have shown that feeling left out or forgotten actually triggers the same part of the brain that processes physical pain. When we feel forgotten, our brain doesn't just register emotional discomfort—it experiences actual pain.

This explains why seasons of feeling forgotten by God, family, or friends can be so devastating. The pain isn't just emotional; it's physiological. Our bodies and minds were designed for connection, and when that connection feels broken, we suffer deeply.

God's Book of Remembrance

If you're in a season where you feel forgotten by God, there's a beautiful thread of scripture that offers hope. Malachi 3:16 tells us: "Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another. And the Lord paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the Lord and esteemed his name."

This "book of remembrance" is a powerful image. While God forgets our sins, He never forgets His saints. He keeps a record of those who love Him, even when they feel forgotten.

What Does It Mean When "God Remembered"?

Throughout Scripture, we see the phrase "God remembered" at pivotal moments:

Noah and the Flood

"But God remembered Noah, and all the beasts and all the livestock that were with him in the ark. And God made a wind blow over the earth, and the waters subsided." (Genesis 8:1)

When the Bible says "God remembered Noah," it doesn't mean God had forgotten him. Rather, it indicates that God was about to take action on Noah's behalf. God hadn't forgotten Noah during those long months on the ark—He was preparing to move in his situation.

Lot in Sodom and Gomorrah

"So it was that when God destroyed the cities of the valley, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot out of the midst of the overthrow when he overthrew the cities in which Lot had lived." (Genesis 19:29)

Interestingly, this verse doesn't say God remembered Lot—it says He remembered Abraham, who had prayed for Lot. This reminds us that God hears and remembers our intercessory prayers for others, even when the answer seems delayed.

Rachel's Barrenness

"Then God remembered Rachel, and God listened to her and opened her womb." (Genesis 30:22)

Rachel had prayed intensely, likely with tears and deep anguish. God heard her prayers and remembered her, eventually blessing her with a child.

Hannah's Desperate Prayer

Hannah prayed so intensely for a child that the priest Eli thought she was drunk. The Bible tells us, "And the Lord remembered her" (1 Samuel 1:19). God answered her prayer with Samuel, who became one of Israel's greatest prophets.

God Collects Your Tears

One of the most comforting passages in Scripture is Psalm 56:8, where David writes: "You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?"

Think about that image. When you're tossing and turning at night, unable to sleep because of worry or pain, God is keeping count. When tears stream down your face, God collects them in a bottle—they're that precious to Him. Your suffering doesn't go unnoticed.

God's Thoughts Toward You Are Countless

David continues this theme in Psalm 139:17-18: "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! If I would count them, they are more than the sand."

Far from forgetting you, God thinks about you constantly—more times than the grains of sand on all the world's beaches. You are never out of His mind, even for a moment.

The Thief on the Cross: Remembered at the Last Moment

Perhaps the most powerful example of God remembering someone comes from the crucifixion. As Jesus hung on the cross, a criminal beside Him—a man who by his own admission deserved his punishment—made a simple request: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom" (Luke 23:42).

Jesus' response was immediate and gracious: "Today you will be with me in paradise."

The message is clear: You have never gone so far that God has forgotten who you are. When you say, "Jesus, will you remember me?" His response is always, "Absolutely, yes, I will remember you."

What God Remembers and What He Forgets

Here's the beautiful paradox: God remembers everything good about you, but He chooses to forget your sins.

What God Remembers:

"For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do." (Hebrews 6:10)

God sees every good deed, every act of service, every tear shed in compassion. Even when others don't notice or appreciate what you do, God remembers.

What God Forgets:

"For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." (Jeremiah 31:34)

"For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more." (Hebrews 8:12)

While we often wake up at 2 AM remembering mistakes from years ago, God has chosen to forget our sins completely. The only things about you that God has forgotten are the very things you wish everyone would forget.

Life Application

If you're in a season where you feel forgotten—where you're wondering if God even knows where you are—remember these truths:

·      Your name is written in God's book of remembrance. He hasn't forgotten you for a moment.

·      God collects your tears. Every sleepless night, every moment of anguish—He sees it all and values your pain.

·      God remembers your good deeds, even when no one else notices or appreciates them.

·      God forgets your sins, choosing to remember them no more when you come to Him.

·      God is preparing to act on your behalf, just as He did for Noah, Rachel, Hannah, and countless others.

Questions to Reflect On:

·      In what areas of my life do I feel forgotten by God right now?

·      How might God be working behind the scenes in my situation, even when I can't see it?

·      What prayers have I given up on that I need to trust God still remembers?

·      How can I encourage others who feel forgotten by reminding them of God's faithfulness?

Remember, the only thing about you that God has forgotten are all the things that you wish everyone else would forget. He remembers your name, collects your tears, and records your story in heaven. You are not forgotten—you are deeply, personally, and permanently remembered by God.