I believe we have all experienced negative events in life, or better yet, painful experiences. And if we get a bit philosophical, when asked about moments of joy or sadness, the first ones that come to mind are often the sad ones. This is because our brain tends to classify memories based on their utility, and memories linked to strong emotions, like negative ones, are deemed useful for survival. This is why we react with greater or lesser intensity in certain situations.

God knows all of this. He is the designer of our brain, and that’s why He placed us in a garden where we had no way of creating painful memories. However, we know what happened next: we chose the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and that had its consequences. I don't want to delve into that, but I do want to emphasize that, despite this, God knows we need to remember Him, and that's why His scripture tells us:

"Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them." Deuteronomy 4:9 (NIV)

Our soul tends to be forgetful. It’s no wonder David emphasizes in Psalm 103:2: "Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits." This is where the Holy Spirit, through prayer, showed us as a family that we need to remember what God has done so that we do not forget our identity as His children. We tend to forget positive experiences because they may not unsettle us, but we have learned that recalling how God's goodness manifested in negative experiences changes everything.

Remembering God in our home means recognizing Him in all things: in the painful, in the happy moments, in the new job, in unemployment, in abundance. Don’t misunderstand us, it’s not easy, but we have Christ who teaches us through His Holy Spirit. One thing that has helped us is using visual reminders of His goodness in the processes we have lived through.

There is hope for our lives in Christ. Let us be intentional in remembering Him and reminding our memory and soul, to be bearers of His light and truth to our generations and those around us.