Elephant Syndrome

It has become apparent to me that I have been in danger of becoming an elephant. I’m not talking about an expanding waistline, or tusks sprouting from my nostrils but the ability to remember certain details. The old saying goes that an elephant never forgets and I realised that there were certain things that I was refusing to forget.

In particular I was finding it hard to forget pain that people had inflicted on me. When someone hurts me it doesn’t take me that long to forgive: forgiveness is not something that I often struggle with. However, I do tend to hold on to the pain and that is equally damaging. I’d got into a pattern of forgiving but still holding on to hurt with all my energy, not forgetting (elephant syndrome!) and therefore not allowing myself to let go. Because of this it was almost like I was walking wounded and, for some time, I created a wall around me that was very difficult to penetrate. I built the wall as a sort of barrier to protect me from future pain. Rather than protecting me it numbed me to life and prevented my complete healing.

I was once told that God washes our sins into the Sea of forgetfulness and this made me think about the load I was carrying. If God wipes away our sins and does not remember them (Isaiah 43:25) why should I hold on to the hurt? It’s just excess baggage that isn’t necessary and is simply draining. Forgiveness is a requirement but letting go of the emotions (hurt/ pain/ anger etc.) takes the sting out of the memory so it has no hold over you. Releasing your emotions enables God to enter and pour his soothing balm over your heart. This way the healing starts from the inside and is a thorough, complete process. The Bible tells us to ‘Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you’ (Psalm 55:22) so there’s no need to be walking wounded when you’ve got a God that is willing and able to carry your troubles.

A good friend of mine told me to ‘Let go and let God’ and these words have delivered me from turning into a big, fat elephant. So remember those words the next time you find yourself hanging on to unhelpful emotions that should be offloaded.

Dr Jemima Agyare