"Y'all Must've Forgot!" How Doubt Impacts Our Memory

Over the years of watching sports and high-level athletes compete, I've heard some pretty great quotes said at the height of their careers or in the wake of great victories or accomplishments. One specific quote that has always stuck with me is one I heard when an athlete made a comeback: “Y’all must have forgot.”

I never knew the true origins of this quote, but heard it often enough that it just became ingrained in my memory. However, for the sake of your reading experience, I did some in-depth, complex research into it (a 2-minute Google search and AI summary). Apparently, the quote comes from Roy Jones Jr., a professional boxer in the 90s, who said, and unbeknownst to me, released a whole song called “Y’all must have forgot.”

At the time, Roy Jones Jr. was so dominant in his fights that, rather than giving him credit for the victories, the media and fans alike attributed the wins to a lack of competition.  Essentially, Roy Jones Jr. was being forgotten, doubted, and having his greatness diminished. In turn, he did what I’m sure all of us humble people would do, and released a whole song reminding people about his accomplishments, while emphatically claiming “Y’all must’ve forgot!”

The reason I bring this quote up is that I can’t help but imagine whether in our times of doubt, God looks at us and says, “Y’all must’ve forgot.”  In the case of Roy Jones Jr., the media and fans became so focused on the easy victories and everything else going on that they doubted whether he was actually this great.

Beginning of Doubt

The same happens in our spiritual life; we become so focused on our circumstances that we start to doubt whether God is truly who He says He is; whether He is truly good, great, and all-loving. 

In Psalms 77:3, after being told of the great trouble the Psalmist is in, we read:

“When I remember God, I moan. When I meditate, my spirit faints.” 

We see that the Psalmist is not running away from God because of his troubles but rather is crying out to God. Interestingly, he doesn’t say “I was overwhelmed with peace and forgot all my problems;” rather, he says he is hurt and his spirit tires.

Personally, I’ve been in this same situation, where going to God is painful because it’s hard to balance faith in a good God when your trouble isn't being taken away, or your situation isn't getting better. You know He is capable of doing it, but at the moment, it feels as if He is simply choosing not to. 

I find this is where doubt starts to creep into the lives of many. It’s natural to start questioning things at this stage because nobody wants to have a life that consists of pain and troubles. Additionally, many of us may have grown up with a misconstrued view of Christianity, which promised only blessings, favor, and a great life.

The truth is, blessings and favor can and should be a reality in the life of a believer, but how God defines those things and how we define them can be very different. This difference is what causes many to abandon their relationship with God. 

Staying the Course and Fighting Back

In Psalm 77: 6-9, we see the Psalmist ask himself the following:

My heart meditated, and my spirit asked: “Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion?”

These verses have always managed to ground me, especially over the last year or so, when it feels like there is more disappointment than rejoicing. By asking these questions, I am faced with the need to respond to them based on God’s promises:

• Will the Lord reject forever? No, the Lord accepts us and will never drive us away (John 6:37). 
• Will he never show his favor again? No, the Lord blesses the righteous and surrounds them with His favor (Psalm 5:12).
• Has his unfailing love vanished forever? No, His love is unconditional and endures forever (Psalm 136:1).
• Have His promises failed for all time? No, the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations (Deuteronomy 7:9).
• Has God forgotten to be merciful? No, His mercies renew every morning (Lamentations 3: 22-23).
• Has He in anger withheld his compassion? No, His anger may last for a night, but is quick to forgive and to show mercy and compassion (Micah 7:18-19). 

As we continue reading in verses 11-20, the Psalmist then begins to remind himself of the Lord’s mighty deeds and His faithfulness through the years. This is quite the transition for the Psalmist, who went from crying out in agony and pain to exclamations and exhortations of the Lord’s greatness over the years and over creation.

This is where I would like to challenge myself and those reading not to be like the media or the fans of Roy Jones Jr., who let our present circumstances and appearances cause us to doubt the greatness of our God. 

I encourage you: next time you are faced with doubts and are struggling to see God’s goodness, take a moment to read Psalm 77 out loud, answer those questions, and remember God’s faithfulness through generations. Hopefully, after doing this, you’ll be able to say, “Wow Lord, I’m sorry, I really ‘must’ve forgot.’”