What Blessings are There in Forgetting?

“My memory may fail me, but God never does. What I surrender, He strengthens, and what I forget, He brings back in His perfect time.”

—Andrea Rittenour

In the early morning hours of my day, God has the most opportunity to reach my mind with His thoughts. It often comes up as I write in my journal and think about what I want to focus on for the day. What are my goals, whether physically, emotionally, or spiritually?

My primary focus each day is what God has for me spiritually—something that speaks to my heart and keeps me focused on God throughout the day. This particular day, my thoughts were on productivity. I wanted to get a lot done and have the wisdom to do so.

One of my top strengths is that I love to learn, and so I am always in some learning mode. But the problem is that I often forget what I have learned, which can be discouraging. I may write things down, which helps get them into my memory bank, but then I forget where I wrote them, so I can't refer to them again.

There are many reasons why we can struggle with not remembering things, and one of those for me is an illness that affected my brain. But it can also come from being on overload, age, hormones, and many other things.

Because learning is one of my top strengths, it can become a detriment in my life. Learning is great, and we should be learning all the time. But we can also become overly dependent on ourselves. We feel we should know it all, understand it all, and be able to do, fix, or accomplish whatever is necessary for ourselves or others—which is draining, just saying from experience.

So, is it a blessing NOT to remember? It is a blessing for me. I keep putting things into my mind and continue to learn because when we stop learning, we stop growing. But Who I rely on to remember when I need to remember is not me. Do I still struggle with giving up and letting go of trying to remember? Yes. But it is so relieving when I choose to give it up.

I want to come to the point that even in my learning, no matter what I am learning about, I am relying on Someone other than the speakers or writers I am learning from. I want to be taught by the One Who created me and loves me, Jesus Christ. And if I am learning yoked up with Him, I don’t have to worry about forgetting. Jesus promised this gift:

“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you.”
—John 14:26 (KJV)

I hear from people—though I've been there myself and still struggle—who keep having fear about not knowing what they need to know when hard times come our way, if we are brought before judges. God’s Word says that as Christians, there will be a time when we will be before judges and persecution will come again.

“But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.”
—Matthew 10:19 (KJV)

What I realized is that our fear is misplaced. We are relying on ourselves and not on God. I don’t have to rely on my mind, which has been affected by illness, because I have a God who is more powerful than any disease—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.

Paul had a thorn in his flesh that he asked God to remove, but God said no. I believe it was for his good that God said no.

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
—2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)

I want to see my struggle with memory as something God is using in my life. He is helping me realize my full dependence on Him. And that is what He wants from all of us. We need to acknowledge our need to be entirely dependent on Him.

And we have promises God has given us—that He will bring things to our remembrance. I want to keep claiming those promises. And He wants to do it in every area of our lives. He doesn’t just care about our spiritual walk; He cares about every area of our lives.

I have seen this so many times in my daily life. I can’t remember where I have put something, and when I choose not to be frustrated and pray about it, God shows me. Does He do it right away? No. Most of the time, the answer is wait, because He wants to teach me to rely on Him no matter what.

Sometimes at work, God gives me the answers to fix the problem, and other times He doesn’t, and the tech needs to come in. I want to be willing to trust God with whatever answer He has for me. I want to learn to trust Him in every area of my life. I want to believe that He has allowed me to struggle with my brain so that I will lean on Him for wisdom.

And the question is, can we be okay with relying 100% on God? We need to get to that point. Does that mean we quit learning? No! It means that as we continue to learn, we rely on Him for the outcome. We depend on Him to bring to our memories the things we need to say or do when we need them. I don’t need to worry that I won’t remember what I am putting in, because I am relying on the One who can retrieve what I need at any given moment. What a blessing!

So, what is the best way to have a productive day? Rely on a God who can give you wisdom, knowledge, strength, courage, and the power to overcome every difficulty—in His time. I want to continue to commit to relying on God more fully in my life. It is a struggle each day, but I want to keep moving forward, claiming His promises and trusting Him fully with every area of my life.

Dear Father in Heaven,

I come to You with a heart humbled by my weaknesses and grateful for Your strength. You know the fears that rise within me when I cannot remember, when I feel inadequate, or when I worry that I will not have what I need in the moment I need it. But You have promised that Your Spirit will teach me and bring all things to my remembrance. I cling to that promise today.

Teach me to depend—not on my own abilities, but on Your unfailing wisdom. Help me surrender the fear that I won’t know enough, and replace it with the confidence that You are more than enough for me. Shape my thoughts, guide my learning, and let every bit of knowledge pass through Your hands before it reaches my heart.

Strengthen me in the moments when frustration rises. Calm me in the moments when my memory fails. And remind me that my weakness is the very place where Your power rests upon me. I commit today to rely on You—not just in my spiritual life, but in every detail, every decision, and every moment.

Hold my mind. Guide my steps. Lead my heart.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Action Steps

1. Keep Learning—But Invite God Into the Process

Learning should never stop, but the pressure to “know it all” can. Before you read, listen, or study anything, pause and pray, “Lord, teach me what You want me to learn today.” This simple act shifts the weight from your shoulders to His, and you’ll start to recognize the Holy Spirit’s quiet instruction in ways that make learning joyful rather than stressful.

2. Write Things Down—Then Release the Worry of Forgetting

Journaling, note-taking, and recording insights are powerful tools. But once you write something down, let go of the fear that you must remember every detail. Ask God to bring back whatever you need in the moment you need it. He’s not asking you to be perfect—He’s asking you to trust Him.

3. Practice “Pause and Pray” When Frustration Hits

When your mind goes blank or you can’t remember where you put something, frustration rises fast. Instead, stop for five seconds and pray, “Lord, calm my mind and guide my memory.” That pause can redirect your heart from anxiety to peace, and often, God will show you the answer when your spirit is quiet enough to hear Him.

4. Celebrate the Moments When God Helps You Remember

Every time you remember something at the right moment, acknowledge God’s help. Say it out loud: “Thank You, Lord, for bringing that to my mind.” This builds a habit of noticing the Holy Spirit’s work, strengthening your confidence that you’re not walking through life alone—you’re walking with divine help.

5. Surrender Daily Productivity to God

Each morning, ask God, “What do You want me to accomplish today?” When He becomes the Director of your day, you’ll stop measuring productivity by how much you get done and start measuring it by how much peace you walk in. Productivity becomes a partnership—not a pressure.

May you walk into each day with the confidence that you are never relying on your own mind alone. The God who teaches, guides, strengthens, and brings all things to remembrance walks with you. Keep learning, keep trusting, and keep leaning into His wisdom—because He is faithful to give you everything you need, exactly when you need it.

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