Flashback Faith

The other day, Steve and I needed to be at a morning funeral so we left our kids home alone with permission to watch TV and do nothing until we got back. Two of our four rarely wake up before 10 a.m. on a Saturday unless something exciting is happening—so in theory, this was going to be a peaceful, uneventful couple of hours.

When we walked back through the door following the funeral, everyone was happy and living their best life on the sofa... but my kitchen told a different story. There was pancake batter on the counters, crusted into gadgets I don’t even remember owning, and a sticky river of syrup slowly making its way to the floor.

About the time I noticed the state of my kitchen, one of my children proudly declared, “I made breakfast for everyone this morning!”

Umm…..Great!?

Now…was I proud of the initiative? Yes.

Did I immediately flash back to the time I tried to make pancakes as a kid for my mom on Mother’s Day and nearly set our kitchen on fire? Also yes.

In that moment it was as though I had time-traveled to one of my own childhood disasters…and in that moment, I had a choice: react out of frustration, knowing it was going to take me over an hour to clean up that mess, or respond from a place of perspective—a place that knew “I’ve been here before.”

Sometimes, that’s exactly what our faith needs too.  Sometimes we need a faith-flashback.

In Mark 5, Jesus arrives at the home of a synagogue leader whose daughter, Talitha, has just died. The house was heavy with many people there, crying and grieving as they experienced deep brokenness over her lost life.  That’s when Jesus clears the room, allowing only the girl’s parents and three carefully chosen disciples to be with Him. He gently takes Talitha by the hand and says, “Talitha koum!” (which means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”) Mark 5:41. And just like that—Talitha comes back to life!

Here's what I think is especially cool about that story.  Peter, the disciple with the foot-shaped mouth, was there that day. He was one of only three disciples that Jesus chose to bring into that sacred moment. That means that Peter saw, first-hand, the pain in Talitha’s parent’s eyes. He heard the cries of grief. He was there to watch as Jesus literally spoke life into death with calm authority.  Imagine what he must have felt watching all of that!

Now, fast forward to Acts 9 after Jesus has died on a cross, rose from the grave, and ascended into heaven. A woman named Tabitha has died, and Peter is called to her bedside. The scene is eerily familiar: a lifeless body, a room filled with mourners, sorrow thick in the air. And what does Peter do?

Exactly what he watched Jesus do.

He clears the room. He kneels to pray. And then he says, “Tabitha, get up.” And she opens her eyes. (Acts 9:40)

I’m certain in that moment all the feelings rushed back into Peter’s heart and soul as he remembered his experience with Jesus and Talitha years ago.

Talitha, get up.
Tabitha, get up.
Just one letter is different… but this time, Peter is the one performing the miracle.  Peter is the one showcasing God’s power. 

That’s the power of flashback faith.

But let’s not forget—Peter didn’t always walk in this kind of power or confidence.

If you missed Pastor Steve’s sermon series on Peter, go back and listen to it! It’s so encouraging to be reminded that Jesus intentionally chose a man who often spoke without thinking, acted impulsively, and failed spectacularly.

Peter was not exactly a model of consistency as we see in this story. In fact, it sometimes felt like he messed up more than he got it right. Remember? He denied Jesus three times—at what was probably the most critical moment of his faith journey.

But Jesus never gave up on him. And somewhere between the resurrection and Acts 9, Peter began to believe that Jesus hadn’t just forgiven him—He still wanted to use him.

So when Peter said, “Tabitha, get up,” he was repeating something he had seen Jesus do. It wasn’t about Peter being perfect—it was about Jesus’ power, working through someone who remembered what God had done before.

That’s flashback faith.

When we face a challenge, it’s easy to panic, to spiral, or to assume God has forgotten us. But in those moments, one of the most powerful things we can do is look back before we try to move forward.

Has God brought you through something like this before?
Has He provided?
Healed?
Restored?
Rescued?

If so, you’ve got a flashback to pull from that can strengthen your faith today.

God doesn’t waste our past. In fact, He often brings us back to a familiar place—not to shame us, but to show us how much we’ve grown.

Peter stood in a room that felt just like the one where Talitha died, but this time, he wasn’t the overwhelmed disciple watching from the sidelines. He was the man who had walked with Jesus, fallen hard, been restored, and now carried the Spirit’s power.

He didn’t let the memory paralyze him. He let it fuel him.

So maybe today you’re standing in a place that feels painfully familiar. Maybe it looks like failure. Maybe it reminds you of something you thought you’d outgrown.

Don’t panic—flash back.

Remember who God was then, and let it build your confidence in who He still is now.

Then, once you’ve found strength from the past, press forward—trusting Him to do the miraculous again. 

He wants to use you to change the world…so let’s flashback…so we can race forward…starting today!