The Path of Remembering

Have you ever found yourself searching aimlessly around your home for something that you have lost? You know you remember where you put it; something inside you is trying to connect with what you seem to remember, and yet, at the same time, you have no clue where you put it. Or maybe you know exactly where you put everything, and you do not know what it is like to spend half of your day looking for items. What about that time you were standing there talking to a familiar face, but you could not remember their name to save your life? Just me? Okay.

I want to take a moment and elaborate on the power of remembering.

I have to preface this by saying that elephants are undoubtedly my favorite animal. There are many reasons for this, and none of them have anything to do with supporting Alabama football (Roll Tide for those who do). Probably the single most significant reason is the simple fact that an elephant remembers.

When I refer to an elephant’s memory, I am not referencing the kind of memory we experience from time to time, where something passes through our mind for a moment and then poof, it’s gone. An elephant’s memory is structural. It is embedded into every aspect of their existence. Research conducted by Cynthia Moss and later expanded by Joyce Poole reveals that matriarchal elephants can recall in a profound way. Their ability to remember has depth. In fact, their memory is directly responsible for their existence. An elephant can remember a single source of water over decades as it travels hundreds of miles a year. Not only that, they can recognize the vocalizations of other elephants and distinguish between threats and non-threats based on past encounters. Don’t be too impressed, we too have the ability to somehow forget so easily where we placed our wallet or keys, yet something seems tangible when it comes to remembering the ones who hurt us and posed a threat to our existence. Stay right there, don’t go anywhere! I haven’t put your name anywhere in this writing.

What is amazing to me is that an entire herd of elephants can survive a drought because one single elephant remembers.

Sit with that for a moment. Read it again.

In Hebrew, the word זָכַר (zākar) is not just used for a simple recall of information. This word is associated with action, or to put something into motion, in accordance with what is remembered. When God “remembers” His covenant in Genesis 9, it is not suggesting that God forgot. It is putting action to something that is already established. In other words, when we refer to remembering in the Bible, it is used in a directional sense.

For example, in Deuteronomy 8:2, Israel is commanded, “And you shall remember (zakar) the whole way that the Lord your God has led you” (English Standard Version). The structure of this verse is important for us to pay attention to because the ability to remember is directly tied to “the way” (ha-derekh). The memory here is associated with the movement. How you walk is shaped by what you remember. How you live is illustrated by what you recall. Your response is the action that is linked to your experience.

This would explain why, when we are looking for our keys, we try to go back and retrace our steps of what we remember doing until we find them. And somehow, all of a sudden, we remember doing everything before we lost them. Okay, just me again.

Our brains are wired through neural pathways. What we give repeated attention to is what causes the pathway to become stronger. In neuroscience, this would be said like this, “neurons that fire together wire together.” What we tend to activate over and over again is what becomes more accessible, and then over time it becomes automatic.

When an elephant makes a journey through the African savannah, it follows the path that it remembers. As humans, we too follow remembered patterns in our mind. The question then becomes which memories are we allowing ourselves to rehearse into the structure of our life?

Let’s think about those moments when a conversation turns tense. Oh, you don’t have those either? Well, keep reading, I’m sure something will resonate. In the moments that our conversations begin to rise in emotion, the words begin to form more quickly, and the emotions that are beneath the surface suddenly rise to greet everyone around you. It is in this very moment that something within us is guiding our response. Our reaction is being calculated based on practiced memory, past wounds, defensive narratives, rehearsed interpretations of what others might mean, and survival strategies. Something inside of you remembered that in order to make it out of this, I had to fight last time, so I will fight this time.

Now shift the perspective for a moment. What if that same tense moment were shaped by a different memory. What if your internal response was being influenced by the character of Christ that you remembered (W.W.J.D bracelets still do the trick)? What if our direct response to disagreement was led by our ability to remember how God responds to us? His patience. His attentiveness. All of a sudden, something inside of us begins to settle when we think on these things. We do not feel the need to rise up. When we are led by what we remember in accordance to God’s Word, clarity begins to enter where reactivity once dominated.

Part of my PhD research is indirectly related to memory through the lens of attention. Think about the things you are able to remember; chances are, you are able to remember them because you were directing your attention. Unfortunately, often our attention is being directed by forces that thrive on fragmentation and urgency. In my opinion, this is directly associated with the rise of algorithms and the use of digital environments, which train the mind toward rapid shifts, shallow engagement, and immediate reactions. Over time, these patterns shape expectations. The mind becomes accustomed to speed, novelty, and interruption. In that environment, sustained remembrance requires intention.

Over time, intentional remembrance of God’s character, His promises, and His past faithfulness creates a steady internal reference point. That reference point begins to influence tone, timing, and decision-making in ways that feel both grounded and clear. The good news is that while this may seem like an impossible task for someone who may struggle deeply in this area, you are not alone, and you do not have to do this alone.

Another reason I find elephants profound is that they are communal and move together. Their memory is strengthened in the community. The younger, less experienced elephants begin to learn for themselves by walking alongside those who already know the path. Their ability to remember is directly influenced by those who put action to their memory. There is something powerful about a herd of elephants on the move together, being guided by what they remember to be the way.

Spiritual formation carries that same calling for all of us. Worship, teaching, shared stories, and conversation all function as collective remembering. Someone speaks the truth that another needed to hear. Someone recalls faithfulness that strengthens another’s resolve. The community becomes a place where memory is reinforced and sustained. That kind of environment shapes how individuals walk.

So I want to encourage you today to allow yourself to dwell in God’s Word and begin to remember what He has already put into motion for your life. Sit with it long enough for it to become familiar. Return to it when your attention drifts. Speak it quietly. Write it down. Let it meet you in the ordinary moments of your day.

Over time, these repeated acts begin to form something durable.

They become the paths you practice.

And eventually, they become the paths you walk.