THE STAGES OF NEGLECTING SCRIPTURE
- lorijanehawkins
- Feb 6
- 5 min read
Updated: Feb 9
STAGE 3 - FORGETTING
Part 3 of a 6-Part Series on Not Reading the Bible
TABLE OF CONTENTS
• Quick Recap: Stages 1 & 2
• Stage 3: Forgetting - Prosperity Without Remembrance
◦ Warning Signs
◦ Consequences
◦ The Way Back
◦ Prayer of Repentance
• What's Next
QUICK RECAP: STAGES 1 & 2
Stage 1: Drift - We stop giving "earnest heed" to God's Word. Scripture no longer feels urgent or necessary.
Stage 2: Dullness - Our hearts become unmoved by truths that once stirred us. Conviction becomes easier to shrug off, and spiritual growth arrests.
If you missed the previous posts:
- Stage 1: Drift
- Stage 2: Dullness
Today, we examine what happens when drift and dullness continue unchecked: Forgetting.
STAGE 3: FORGETTING - PROSPERITY WITHOUT REMEMBRANCE
What if the greatest danger to your walk with God is not open rebellion, but comfortable success that pushes Him to the margins?
When life overflows with blessings, it is frighteningly easy to forget the Lord while still uttering His name.
What Is Forgetting?
Forgetting God shows up as not keeping His commandments, subtle pride, and long seasons where He is practically left out of daily life. This is not amnesia—it's functional forgetfulness.
You remember God exists, but you forget to reference Him, depend on Him, or obey Him when making decisions.
Deuteronomy 8:11-14 warned Israel before they even entered the Promised Land:
"Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes... when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses... and your heart is lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt."
NLT version:
"Be careful that in your plenty you do not forget the LORD your God and disobey his commands... Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt."
Moses knew the pattern: Prosperity breeds pride, and pride produces practical forgetfulness of God.
The Tragic Fulfillment
Generations later, Jeremiah 2:32 records God's heartbroken indictment:
"Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number."
NLT version:
"Yet for years on end my people have forgotten me."
This is not a momentary lapse. This is systematic, long-term neglect where God has been pushed to the margins of a life that once centered on Him.
The Severity of Forgetting
Deuteronomy 8:19-20 makes the stakes clear:
"Then it shall be, if you by any means forget the Lord your God, and follow other gods... you shall surely perish."
Hosea 4:6 adds:
"My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge... because you have forgotten the law of your God."
Forgetting the Word leads to ruin and loss of spiritual privilege.
WARNING SIGNS YOU'RE FORGETTING GOD
• Commands, testimonies, and past deliverances of God fade from daily consciousness—life decisions rarely reference Him
• Prosperity, comfort, or busyness produce a lifted-up heart and subtle pride: "My power and the might of my hand have gained me this" (Deuteronomy 8:17)
• You use God's name but do not seek His face—spiritual language remains, but spiritual dependence disappears
• Obedience becomes optional—you pick which commands to follow based on convenience
• Gratitude fades—you stop rehearsing what God has done and start focusing on what you have accomplished
THE CONSEQUENCES OF FORGETTING
• Growing disobedience and practical idolatry—following other "gods" (priorities, people, pleasures, money) without calling it idolatry
• God warns that His people who forget Him "shall surely perish"—pointing to serious discipline and potential loss (Deuteronomy 8:19)
• Pride becomes entrenched—attributing success to your own strength rather than God's provision
• Spiritual privileges are lost—Hosea 4:6 says forgetting God's law leads to destruction and loss of calling
• You provoke God to jealousy—Deuteronomy 32:18 says, "Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful, and have forgotten the God who fathered you,"
THE WAY BACK: ENCOURAGEMENT
God's answer to forgetting is a gracious call to remember. He lovingly reminds His people of how He brought them out of bondage—not to condemn them, but to reawaken gratitude and dependence.
If you realize you have been living as if God were on the margins, you can:
1. Deliberately rehearse His past faithfulness—journal, share testimonies, meditate on what He's done
2. Choose again to "remember the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 8:18)—make Him central again
3. Return to daily dependence—stop attributing success to your own hand
God welcomes that return with joy. He does not demand perfection—He desires your heart's return to Him in humble acknowledgment: "You guided me all along."
When you remember God, you remember who you are.
When you remember what He has done, pride loses its grip.
When you remember His commands, obedience becomes a delight again.
PRAYER OF REPENTANCE
God, I have forgotten You—not in name, but in daily dependence and grateful remembrance of all You have done. Lord, I repent.
Forgive me for living as if my success, comfort, and security came from my hand instead of Yours. Forgive me for making decisions without seeking You, for building my life without consulting You, for taking credit for what only You could provide.
I choose today to remember the Lord my God, and to return my heart to humble obedience and trust. Help me rehearse Your faithfulness daily, to live in gratitude, and to depend on You in everything.
Thank you, Lord, for forgiving me. Please cover me with Your blood and cleanse me from all unrighteousness. Amen.
WHAT'S NEXT IN THIS SERIES
Next week, we will explore Stage 4: Blindness - Darkened Understanding.
What happens when forgetting leads to spiritual blindness?
How does the heart that once saw clearly become unable to discern truth from compromise?
We will examine the sobering reality of darkened understanding and God's power to restore sight.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Your journey matters, and your story might be exactly what someone else needs to hear today.
Reflect and Share:
• In what areas of your life have you been living as if success came from your own strength?
• When was the last time you rehearsed God's past faithfulness in your life?
• What is one way you will intentionally "remember the Lord" this week?
Share in the comments below—your honesty could help someone else recognize where they have forgotten God and need to return to grateful dependence.
ABOUT THIS SERIES
This is Part 3 of a 6-part series on The Stages of Neglecting Scripture. Each post explores a biblical stage of spiritual decline, with warning signs, consequences, encouragement, and prayers for restoration.
The Complete Series:
3. Stage 3: Forgetting (You are here)
4. Stage 4: Blindness
5. Stage 5: Worldliness
6. Stage 6: Discipline
Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version (NKJV), New Living Translation (NLT), and The Passion Translation (TPT).
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