“and I will send hornets before you, which shall drive out the Hivites, the Canaanites, and the Hittites from before you. I will not drive them out from before you in one year, lest the land become desolate and the wild beasts multiply against you. Little by little, I will drive them out before you until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.
Exodus 23:28-30
When we look back on our lives, heartbreak and loss may stand out more vividly than the joyful moments. But rather than avoiding these memories or wishing them erased, God invites us into a deeper experience. It’s within those painful moments that His love meets us and reminds us of His salvation story woven into our own. Victories are won little by little, and transformation unfolds the same way. This week, as we continue in our Zakar series, Steph Rivas shows us how inviting God into our pain brings healing and reveals His unwavering faithfulness in every moment.
What is the context?
- After 400 years of slavery, God delivered the Israelites, but they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before reaching the Promised Land.
- Faced with constant battles, they grew discouraged and doubted, even longing to return to the bondage of Egypt.
How do we practically embrace holy remembrance of a painful past?
We remember how far we’ve come
- We now live in the freedom that comes through Jesus, no longer bound by sin or shame.
- In moments of reflection, the enemy often uses the opportunity to sow doubt and lies into your thoughts—but his voice has no power over you.
- God’s promise is true and everlasting: you are free from sin, shame, and death because of His love and sacrifice.
- When you hold onto that promise, you are reminded of your true identity: God declares, “You are my son, my daughter, and part of My family.”
We remember that forgiveness is a process
- Often, we find ourselves facing the same struggles, feeling stuck or blocked, and wondering why we can’t move on. It’s often because we’re holding onto unforgiveness.
- Unforgiveness may stem from lies we’ve believed, and we may not see the truth God has for us. His truth sets us free, and when we apply it to every area of bitterness and anger, healing begins.
- We must choose to let forgiveness outweigh our anger, bitterness, or pain. When painful memories resurface, it’s an opportunity to bring them back to the Lord and receive fresh revelation.
- The Bible tells us we can forgive because He forgave us—not an ordinary forgiveness, but one that comes only from Him, who already paid the debt for us.
We remember who our hope is in
- Our lives and stories are victorious, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of what Jesus has already accomplished for us.
- He offers freedom from sin, shame, judgment, and defeat because Jesus has already conquered it all. That is the good news—He has already done it, and we can invite Him into every part of our lives.
- Our lives and stories are victorious, not because of anything we’ve done, but because of what Jesus has already accomplished for us.
Additional Resources:
- Deuteronomy 7:17-23
- Ephesians 3:16-18
- Galatians 4:9-11
- John 8:36
- Ephesians 1:4-6
- Psalm 138:7-8
- Soul Care: 7 Transformational Principles for a Healthy Soul by Dr. Rob Reimer
Dinner Party Questions:
- Have you ever been tempted to ask God to erase a painful memory completely? How can you invite Him into that pain instead?
- Have you ever been tempted to ask God to erase a painful memory completely? How can you invite Him into that pain instead?
- "God is a God of miracles, but He’s not a God of shortcuts." How have you experienced this in your own life?
- Has realizing you still have unresolved feelings after thinking you forgave someone changed your understanding of forgiveness?
