This post was last updated on July 13, 2025

Day 174, Year 1

What to Do If You Quickly Forget Jesus’ Words?

“For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was.” (James 1:23-24 NASB)

Many people have heard the words of Jesus, but at least some of them have forgotten. This setback is caused by several reasons.

First, they were not well prepared to hear the Lord’s words. As mentioned previously, only some people watch daily at the Wisdom’s gates, waiting at her doorposts. This attitude of watching and waiting prepares us to listen to the words of Wisdom. Similarly, to daily hear the voice of Jesus, “watching” and “waiting” for Him is a must for committed Christians. We first recognize that the Lord’s words are far more important than our own, and then look to His words and prepare ourselves to hear His voice. We should always wait quietly for His words and prevent other noises from hindering or distorting our hearing.

Second, they did not seek Jesus’ help even when facing difficulties. People who heard the Lord’s words but then forgot them likely encountered overwhelming problems they felt were unsolvable, causing them to abandon His Word. Contrarily, when we face difficulties, the most crucial thing is to seek help from Jesus. Since He allows certain problems to come our way, He must also be willing to help us to solve them. The key is whether we have the perseverance to pray earnestly and the determination to seek His resolutions till the end.

Third, they felt that some of God’s words were letting them down. This is quite a common phenomenon. At this point, we must ask ourselves: Will we continue to make Christ the Lord of our lives? Will we persist in obeying and seeking His grace, wisdom, and strength, or will we just give up in the middle? I think those who abandon their faith halfway are silly. So much time and cost have already been invested; why throw it all away?

Fourth, as the verse says, they forget who they are. Some suggest that the Bible is like a mirror that can pinpoint problems in our lives that we rarely knew before. Indeed, many will uncover their inadequacies through reading the Scripture or hearing the Word. However, while the Lord’s Word is meant to help us solve our problems, some try to avoid them. This avoiding attitude ultimately causes them to stumble and even be disqualified eternally. In contrast, many who hear the Word or the Lord’s voice feel deeply stirred, moved, and want to respond positively. So, we should hold fast to the vital insights, persevere, and obediently respond to the Lord, while changing ourselves accordingly so as to receive His wonderful blessings.

Reflection questions:

1) Do you find yourself hearing God’s words and then forgetting them quickly? If so, how would you solve this problem?

2) Do you think you would hold fast to the stirrings or promptings of God and persistently respond to them positively? If not, how will you change yourself with His help?