Recently was the anniversary date of a difficult situation. It’s been years since I had to deal literally with that circumstance, but the anniversary still affects me. It’s not conscious. I may not even remember the date or think about it. But when I start to feel the spiritual and emotional impact, I remember, and I’m aware of how it affects me. That’s an area where I need to do some praying, so it will no longer have that affect on me.
Anniversaries of difficult moments, especially the death of a loved one, continue to leave an imprint on our hearts. This is not always a “bad” thing; often it’s a natural and important part of grief. I have no doubt that the anniversary of my mother’s death will always be a day that affects my heart deeply. I continue to miss her and to celebrate her life and the memories I carry in my heart.
However, if an anniversary has trauma locked into it that keeps us oppressed and blocks us from the joy, peace, and fullness of life God has for us, then prayer will help. We can remember what we need to remember, without being stuck in that moment.
As for my recent anniversary, it is not something I need to remember in a negative way, and it’s not a place where I need to be stuck. I need to pray and ask the Lord to pour His healing into my heart, where I am stuck in the trauma of that moment, and ask Him to lift out the pain and replace it with His peace.
God doesn’t erase our memories or the significance of our anniversaries. But He can pour His presence into those places of pain, so we can walk through our difficult anniversaries with godly remembrance and with newness of life.
Adventures with God 