Is It Possible To Forgive And Forget?

Last updated on: September 3, 2018 at 4:30 am by Jack Wellman

Is It Possible To Forgive And Forget? 2018-08-26T20:33:55-05:00 Jack Wellman

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It may not be easy, but we can forgive others, but what about forgetting? What do we do with that?

Forgive and Forgiveness

The Bible teaches us to forgive others as we have been forgiven, but what about forgetting what others have done to us? What happens when others won’t forgive us? And, have they really forgiven you if they keep bringing it up? To be human is to probably have offended someone at one time or another. If you’re breathing, you’ve probably angered someone or offended someone…and you may not have even realized it! Perhaps it wasn’t intentional, but things happen. Bad timing; times when we’re tired, hungry, or frustrated can leave us like an open wound, and someone’s words may be like pouring salt on it, but we know we must forgive others, as God has forgiven us. Jesus taught that “if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt 6:14-15). I don’t believe Jesus’ intent was to make it sound like you’re going to hell if you don’t forgive others, but the fact that you (and I) have been forgiven exponentially more than we could ever forgive others. If we don’t forgive, it shows that we don’t fully comprehend the grace of God that’s been given to us. We could never, in a hundred lifetimes, rack up more sins against other people than we ever could with God, and yet that’s why Jesus came. He came to give His own life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), so our prayer to God must be to “forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matt 6:12). The seems to be conditional as it says, “as we also have forgiven our debtors,” so if we are bearing grudges, and refusing to forgive others, even when they ask for it, then God may not hear our own prayers of forgiveness.

Comprehending Forgiveness

I love Romans 5:6-10 when I feel a spirit of anger against someone. I remember that God loved us first, and loved us while we were wicked, ungodly enemies of God. Just as powerful is Jesus’ godly prayer, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). In that prayer, and in the grace of God, we see God’s kindness toward us; we see His tenderheartedness; we see His forgiveness, so we should also “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you” (Eph 4:32). The Apostle Paul gives us an example of kindness, tenderhearted-ness, and forgiveness, and it was just “as God in Christ forgave you” and me. It’s not exactly a conditional statement, but a statement that seems to tell us we ought to be as forgiving of others as God has been toward us. Why would we not forgive others when we’ve been forgiven so much more? God Himself has said, “For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more” (Heb 8:12), but we often forgive and then try to resurrect it again to others. God buries our sins into the ocean of forgetfulness, so why would we ever go fishing in other people’s waters for what God has already buried at sea? A forgiving person will be “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive” (Col 3:13).

Unlimited Forgiveness

To have unlimited forgiveness is just too amazing to describe, but this doesn’t mean we can sin all we want. If you sin all you want, you may not be saved because the saved person recoils as sin, and like Paul, they hate the things that they do, and sometimes don’t do the things they know they ought to do (Rom 7:19). We are forgiven, and I think it’s best to come for a daily cleansing, but a person who’s received grace doesn’t abuse grace, and make it a license to sin. Anyone who lives that way and practices unrighteousness on a daily basis is not saved at all (1 John 3). Jesus told the Apostle Peter that it wasn’t seven times that he had to forgive his brother, but seventy times seven, or an infinite number of times (Matt 18:21-22). Jesus wasn’t trying to teach Peter math. He only wanted Peter (and us) to learn that forgiveness should not have limits, so “whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses” (Mark 11:25).

Conclusion

I wished I could forget past grievances like I forget my password or where my keys are at, but I have forgiven them. I didn’t wait till I felt like it, or it’d be a long wait. I choose to forgive. Forgiveness is a choice. We can and should forgive others, but I don’t think it’s humanly possible to forget. It’s like when you try not to think about something, and then that’s all you think about. It’s not humanly possible to forget the things people have done to us, but it is possible for us to forgive them. If you find it hard to forgive and forget, remember Jesus’ words, “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy” (Matt 5:7), and David’s psalm about “the one whose transgression is forgiven” and “whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity” (Psalm 32:1-2). You can also re-read these Bible verses about forgiveness. For me, it’s realizing that God has forgiven “the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD” (Psalm 25:7)! For me, that makes it easier to forgive, but even if it’s not easy, I chose to forgive.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is a writer at Christian Quotes and also the Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.

Previous Post

August 31, 2018

How Can I Recognize My Spiritual Gift(s)?

Next Post

September 5, 2018 How To Forgive Like God Does

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Bible Answers Bible Definitions Bible Story Bible Study Bible Verses Christian Books Christian Entertainment Christian Fathers Christian Mothers Christian Quotes Devotional Famous Christians Music News Parables Prayers Quotes Sunday School Lesson Uncategorized Youth Sermons

Select a Month October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

True or False: Deborah was a prophetess and judge who led Israel to victory over the Canaanites.

Select your answer to see how you score.

TRUE FALSE