Forgiving to Forget

Me? Forgive her? Of course I forgive her! I just can never forget! Is that you? How familiar does that sound? Don’t we all do it? We say we forgive someone, but, we can never forget what they did to us that hurt us so much. Or is this you: I never get angry o, but once you offend me, that is it. I CUT you off! Or, are you: I forgive, and I forget, but I just won’t speak to you again in my life, for peace sake.....

If you are one of the above, take a seat, grab a coffee ( milk, two sugars:-)) and let’s roll.






The issue of forgiveness is one that will always baffle me. I find it hard to comprehend why God asked us to forgive so as to seek his forgiveness as the Bible tells us. let me share a story with you:

A woman lost her only son and husband in one day. Before her very eyes, a rebel invaded her home, and burnt her husband and only child alive. As her family shrivelled into charcoal in her presence, she pleaded with the man for mercy; but the rebel ignored her as he cruelly destoyed her family. About 10 years after the horrible crime, the rebel was finally caught.

The woman, now old and grey from suffering the terrible loss, was invited to the court to witness the trail. As the trial judge condemned the criminal for his despicable and cold hearted killing of a woman's only child and husband, the woman looked on, frail and tired.
The judge, before deciding whether to deliver a death sentence, asked the woman to make a statement to the convicted killer, knowing that the woman's statement would further fuel the death sentence ruling he was about to deliver. So she did. As she struggled to her feet with tears flowing down her old, wrinkled face, she walked slowly towards the man with out stretched arms, while singing the song..' amazing grace.. how sweet the sound..'.
The rebel wept. He had expected the woman to curse him to death, but instead, she wept with love, and embraced him, saying the words, ' With my heart, I forgive you, just as Jesus forgave me for my sins'.....

Can you be like this woman? She surely had every right to demand for the death penalty. Imagine the pain she must have lived through each day, remembering the gruesome murders of her husband and child, yet, she forgave.

Sometimes, someone does something to you that hurts so bad, you genuinely cannot forgive the person. You want to, but you just cant. I am talking of a situation where someone close to you, someone you trusted, literally trashed the trust and spat on it. How do you begin to even think about forgiving the person? Yet, God says forgive. If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. God would never have asked you to forgive, if he didn't think you could. YOU CAN!!

Matthew 18:15-17, "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.

Ihad always thought I had a forgiving heart. Until someone hurt me for real. Then I began to understand why the Bible hammered on the issue of forgiveness. Because it is not an easy task!.
In fact, many times, you believe you have forgiven someone. Until you try and relay the story to someone else.... do you notice how your heart still races, and your emotions run wild? When I was hurt, I went to God in prayer and confessed my sin, and told God that I had forgiven the person. A few months later, someone asked me about that person, I, genuinely believing that I had forgiven and forgotten, I began to tell my story. To my shock and horror, as the story tumbled out of my mouth, my rage could not be hidden. I was still upset! I hadn't truly forgiven as God instructed. I hadn't forgotten either. If you truly forgive from the bottom of your heart, you forget. Just like God does. God says he will not remember your past sins, once you confess and forsake them.

When you forgive others, you feel like a burden is lifted off your shoulder. You gain a certain confidence before God. You can go to him, knowing that your heart is not bearing the burden of some one's offence.

When you say you have forgiven someone, you must try to forget what they did to you. If you hold on to the bad memories of the hurt, it is likely that you begin to stir up feelings of anger and hurt, and thus, erasing the desire to truly let go. But, if you think you cant, take a moment and think about Jesus. He is a classic example of whom to follow, in trying to learn to truly forgive.

Jesus was spat on, insulted, mocked, beaten; because of you and I. He was crucified. Nails driven into his hands and feet. He was in so much pain that he sweat blood. And even in pain and humiliation, Jesus, remembered to asked God to forgive those who were flogging and mocking him.
How much more you and I? what did that person do to you that is new? It certainly isn't as bad as the sins that we have committed in the past. Even if it is, the Lord asks us to forgive. Always.


So important is the issue of forgiveness, that God gave no limit to how many times you ought to forgive:

Matthew 18:21-22, "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven."


Seventy Times Seven?? HOW?? lol.. It just goes to show how important it is to God that you forgive others. God doesn't expect you to count the amount of times you have forgiven someone, he wants it to come Naturally to you, just as it is to HIM.
Beloved, lets try and forgive. Lets think about Jesus instead and let that person go in our hearts. FORGET IT. Even if they are not sorry. FORGET IT. Try to. I know it can be difficult. I know it can be hard, but think about Jesus, and what he did for you.

Has someone cheated you? Forgive
Has someone hurt you/ destroyed you? Forgive
Has someone hurt someone or something you love? betrayed your trust? shattered your dreams? Forgive

Let Go. Let God. Let the burden slide. Forget the hurt and focus on the future. The reason why the PAST is called PAST is because it refers to things that have PASSED. Don't hold unto it... just allow it... and enjoy the abundance of God's blessings, even as you act in obedience to his word.

So if anyone is reading this, and I have offended you in my writing ( and other blog), I ask for your forgiveness... thank you for forgiving me. ( you drank my coffee anyway, so you have no choice!)

Glory be to God, the most HIGH.......

Bimbylads~~~ A growing worshipper