‘Yehovah will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away’ Revelation 21:4 (NKJV)
There is a novel called The Storyteller, by Jodi Picoult. Part of it is about a Holocaust survivor, and despite the horror and the darkness, there are tender moments of light, love and laughter. It is a reminder that memory has such power; to paralyse, demoralise, discourage or cause pain. It is no wonder that many people have gone to great lengths to try to bury their dark moments, hiding it in the prison of their subconscious minds. Yet memory has other powers too. It has the power to allow little bubbles of light to float to the surface of your difficulties, and pierce the darkness. In the novel, it was the memories of playful banter with her much loved father, the smell of bread in the oven at their bakery, and the touch of the first stolen kiss on her teenage lips, that broke through the horror of Minka’s living nightmare, enabling her to keep living when it seemed that she could not. Sometimes, returning in memory to the dark times, means that you can look for the bubbles of light that break through them. In the book, Minka’s father tells her, ‘Anything is possible. Even the most terrible beast might one day be a distant memory.’ As believers we know that will be the case – Yehovah has promised that one day He will make all things new. Until then, you may find that light is best appreciated in the dark places, and as long as you determine to walk in the light of Yehovah, it will dispel your darkness. It will bring hope, in time, even joy, so don?t be afraid; it is OK to remember.