My high school used to have mirrors lining the hall every few feet. If you forgot what you looked like for thirty seconds, you'd have another opportunity to check yourself out ten steps later. And believe me, in my high school students made a habit of peering into those mirrors to fix hair, shift an outfit to look just right, apply lipstick...you catch my drift. When I think of the halls of my high school, I think of this passage:

"Do not merely listen to the word and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in the mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-he will be blessed in what he does." James 1:22-24

I'm infamous for forgetting a name 2.2 seconds after I learn it. Someone can give me directions, and if I'm not intently focusing, the path ahead, right or left is lost on me. We all have an inclination to forget. But forgetting things of faith has consequences. Remembering things of faith sets us up for blessings. In order to do the latter, we must learn how to focus our time, attention and energy on Biblical instruction.

This can be tricky. As I hopped from one youth group meeting to another, to church, to small group and then got quiet with God during my junior and senior years of high school, I gained wonderfully valuable insight. I took notes. I paid attention. But at times, I felt crowded with too many lessons. It was as though I was spiritually walking down the hall of my high school, taking in one verse, trying to absorb another while at the same time sifting through the meaning of another. I didn't have focused attention on one thing to apply. Instead, I found myself bombarded with many great things.

One of the wisest ways to begin applying what we learn in Scripture is by concentrating on a certain theme, verse or element of the Word. We are all prone to sin, to fall back into old habits and behaviors. How can we move from simply hearing the Word to applying it?

We can scuba dive in our faith by going deep in a certain area. And then we can come clean before God in prayer, allowing Him to test our hearts and lead us in the way everlasting. So much of faith is about sacrifice, about getting ourselves out of the way to let God invigorate His Holy Spirit in us. When we do this, it makes us people who remember. And even if we're tempted to, we cannot forget.

Wendy Miller’s work has been published in inspirational books, online magazines and on numerous websites. She is passionate about encouraging women through writing and speaking, and currently Wendy leads a small group of seniors from her church. Raising her three little girls, writing novels, creating craft projects, and hiking are other ways she enjoys spending her time. Feel free to visit her blog to peek inside the window of her thoughts as she actively pursues what it means to follow the Lord. Wendy's Website