If you’ve ever read through the book of Numbers, it can feel like watching the same scene on repeat. The Israelites grumble. God provides. They forget. And then, not long after, the whole cycle starts over again.
Each time, it’s as if they’ve developed a kind of spiritual amnesia, a forgetfulness of who God is, what He’s done, and who they are because of Him.
I wish I could say I’m different.
Just last week, I injured my lower back so severely that for about 24 hours, I couldn’t walk. I’m talking about literal immobility; every movement felt impossible. I went from leading, planning, and being on the move to lying flat on my back, barely able to roll over.
And as the hours passed, the pain wasn’t the only thing that started to ache. Discouragement set in fast. My thoughts began to spiral. Why is this happening now? What am I supposed to do with this? My mind drifted from gratitude to grumbling quicker than I’d like to admit.
It was in that moment that I realized: pain has a way of exposing what’s really in us.
For Israel, it was hunger and thirst that brought out their spiritual amnesia. For me, it was pain and helplessness. For you, it might be something entirely different: stress at work, parenting exhaustion, or even the quiet pressure of always being on and doing more.
Whatever the cause, spiritual amnesia doesn’t just happen when life gets hard; it also happens when life gets full. Comfort, busyness, and distraction are often just as effective at pulling us away from who God is and who He’s shaping us to be.
We live in a world that runs on noise and motion. Our schedules stay packed. Our phones never stop buzzing. And slowly, without even realizing it, we start to forget the God who brought us this far. We forget that His faithfulness isn’t determined by how comfortable or productive we feel.
That’s what the Israelites missed in the wilderness. They remembered the food from Egypt, but not the chains. They romanticized the past because they forgot what God had done to free them. It wasn’t their circumstances that changed; it was their perspective.
I found myself there last week, losing perspective, letting pain distort my view of God’s presence. But even in that place, God was kind. I didn’t get an instant miracle or a dramatic healing moment. What I got instead was a quiet reminder: My presence isn’t tied to your comfort, Cody. I’m here, even now.
That realization didn’t remove the pain, but it restored my perspective.
The truth is, spiritual maturity doesn’t happen by accident. It doesn’t grow on autopilot. It’s built through remembering who God is, what He’s done, and how He’s still working in the wilderness moments of our lives.
So let me ask you what I’ve been asking myself:
What’s causing your spiritual amnesia?
Is it comfort? Busyness? Distraction? Pain?
Whatever it is, don’t let it steal your awareness of God’s presence. Don’t let it pull you away from who He’s calling you to be or what He’s trying to do in your life right now.
And here’s an important truth I’ve been reminded of: spiritual amnesia happens most easily in isolation.
When we drift from community, we forget more quickly. When we stop gathering, stop connecting, or stop worshiping alongside others, it’s easy to lose sight of God’s faithfulness.
That’s why we need spaces that keep us anchored.
Come to church. Connect with a Christ-seeking community. Join Campus Connect at our Owings Mills/Reisterstown Campus, Tuesday Night Care in Columbia, or Wednesday Night Discipleship Classes. It doesn’t even have to be through Bridgeway—but we do our best to take the guesswork out of it by planning, leading, and organizing environments that help all of us remember who God is.
And the same goes for your middle and high school students. There’s Youth Night weekly at both campuses, Youth Church every Sunday, Leadership Classes, Friday Night Socials, so many ways for them to stay connected and grow. You can check out the links to all of those at this link.
We don’t host these things to inflate our importance or add to your already full schedule. We do it because we love you, we believe in what God is doing in your family, and we want to lead environments that help you and your students stay close to Him.
When we remember who God is and surround ourselves with people who help us remember, we won’t get stuck in the cycle of spiritual amnesia.
So the next time you catch yourself grumbling or drifting, pause and remember:
You’re not alone in the wilderness—and neither are your kids.
To learn more about Student Ministries, click here.
If you need help or support, please contact Care.
If you are looking for activities to meet others, check out our Events.
If you are looking for people to do life with, connect with our Groups.