Memories. What an amazing ability God has planted in our brains to recall the past! Sometimes we see this as a blessing and sometimes as a curse.

God can use my memory, though. He brings scriptures to mind at just the right time when I am faced with a problem or a temptation. He helps me recall songs and friends and blessings. He prompts me to pray for someone who has mentioned a need. He also uses it to work on my heart.

I find it interesting that God can bring to my mind a specific incidence, perhaps from years ago, in which I displayed an attitude or an action that needs my repentance. It could have been a moment of self-will or pride, an action that hurt, a lack of love. The issue, though, is that I shoved that moment under the rug and walked away from it without acknowledging my sin, and that hidden dirt has continued to cloud a part of my heart.

When this memory pops up, I have a choice. I can confess my sin, repenting and asking forgiveness, or I can busy myself with the dawdles of life while I ignore the prompting or justify the action.

Repentance opens the door to God’s work in my life, cleansing and freeing me. Ignoring His prompting hardens my heart little by little until His voice becomes harder to hear. This results in a loss of fellowship with my Father.

When I repent, He forgives. Then I know when Satan comes knocking on that door and attempts to open it for ongoing accusation, I do not have to give him a key or entertain his rantings. Instead, I return to my Father’s arms with joy.

Romans 4:7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.

Hebrews 3:13 But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.

Hebrews 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

Photo – Beauty Berries, Beth Mims