How we remember shapes who we become.
Photo Album by Laura Fuhrman via Unsplash
I believe there’s a link between our memories and our discipleship.
God tells us to remember. This is important because we all know what happens to God’s people when they forget— losing the way, slavery, exile, etc… We all know what happens to us when we forget—pretty much the same, am I right?! But as I meditate on this, I think God is asking us to do more than simply scroll through the photo albums of our memory.
“Remember the wonderful things He has done,
His miracles and the wise decisions He has made…”
I feel like Holy Spirit is emphasizing the “…He has done” phrase. Recounting what happened isn’t what God is asking of us. He’s asking to remember what he has done. This subtly shifts the perspective, doesn’t it? If I simply just rehearse the sequence of events, I’ll only remember what happened. But if I remember what He has done, I get a new perspective on my own history. I can look back and see His actions in my story. I can see His hand at work. I can recall Holy Spirit’s comfort in even through the most difficult times.
The Fruit of Memory: Gratitude and Faith
Remembering what He has done produces fruit: thankfulness and faith. First, when I recall how God showed up, I can’t help but feel grateful. And I believe that gratitude is the chemotherapy for the cancer of my entitlement. God knows I need to be grateful in order to be healthy. So he instructs me to remember. Second, when I see what God has already done in my life, it gives me faith for what I am facing now. There’s a reason that the “Do it again” song is so popular and so anointed. Looking back at the actions of God in my past give me faith for the actions of God in my present, and hope for the future. Even in a pandemic.