Word for Youth

Bad memories

When we’re struggling with bad memories, there are a few things we can do: 1) Reframe them. Looking back, Joseph said, ‘You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good’ (Genesis 50:20 NASB). We can try and see the good that came from things rather than just think about the bad parts. 2) Reject them. The next time a bad memory resurfaces we need to refuse to spend time thinking about it. ‘Do not…ponder the things of the past.’ 3) Refocus our thoughts. ‘Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead’ (Philippians 3:13 NKJV). While we can’t help remembering things, we can choose to also remember good things. One of the most effective ways to stop focusing on bad memories is to replace them with good ones. God says: ‘The former things shall not be remembered or come into mind…be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create’ (Isaiah 65:17-18 AMP). Notice the word create. God can create beauty out of ashes and order out of chaos – but it doesn’t happen straightaway. Instead, it’s a process. We have to do a lot of growing and forgiving along the way. In some cases, we’ll forgive others; in other cases, we’ll forgive ourselves. We may not be able to stop bad memories coming into our minds, but we can choose to react to them in a good way. That might be reframing, rejecting and refocusing. But it should also be choosing to bring them to God so that we can start on that process of healing with Him.

What now?
Take any bad memories you’ve got to God. Ask Him to show you where something positive has developed out of them.