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Forgive and Forget
- Colossians 3:13
Have you ever told someone that you forgave them? Have you ever said to someone, "It's ok... I have forgiven you?" What did you mean by that?
The word "forgive" means to pardon one for their trespasses. I means to excuse a person from the things they have done against you, to absolve them from any punishment. It means to renounce your anger at that person, and not to hold it against them.
A very popular phrase used today regarding forgiveness, is "Forgive but don't forget." But when you truly forgive someone, you are forgetting what they have done against you. You are saying, "it is in the past, and it does not exist anymore." You are putting it out of your mind, and out of your heart.
Many Christians say they have forgiven someone, and yet they use the very things they "forgave" against them later. They bring up past transgressions to hurt or wound the person they are angry with. Imagine if God did this to us? Imagine if you had a fight with God, or didn't listen to God, and He said, "Well remember the time when you were 5 and told your parents a lie? Remember when you were 8 and you stole candy from the store? Remember the first time you used my name in vain?"
The phrase "forgive but don't forget" should be "forgive AND forget." Because if you continue to remember their crimes against you, you are letting those past trespasses, those past actions that you forgave, cause resentment in your heart. You are letting those past transgressions affect your relationship with that person.
You cannot forgive someone, and still be angry at them for what they have done. You cannot forgive someone, and still hold a grudge against them. God tells us to forgive each other AS HE has forgiven us. He tells us not to judge them for their actions, after we have pardoned them. He tells us not to hold a grudge against them, but rather to forgive them in our hearts (Matthew 18:35).
When you say you have forgiven someone, have you truly forgiven them? Are you saying it because it is true, or because you feel it is the right thing to say? Today, if there is someone you have not forgiven, if there is someone you are still angry at, take time to make it right (Matthew 5:23-24). Examine yourself, ask yourself... what have they done that I cannot forgive, when Christ forgave us after all of our sins. What have they done, that we cannot forgive, even after Christ asked His Father to forgive the very people who were murdering Him?
Great devotion!!!!!!!
This was o so helpful.... I have a mother I take care of 24/7 with dementia..... I am a very devout christian, and yet I am so angry at her terrible, terrible abuse of me as a child.... I say I have forgiven her, but I still get so sad and cry and look at her sometimes and say why oh why did you hate me so!!! I need to really, REALLY forgive her... my hurt is gatting in the way of pure forgiveness.... thank you for reminding me of this!!!!
Never to bring up again. Forgiveness is an essential part of the gospel message. Jesus said, in Luke 23: 34 " Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Stephen said in Acts 7:60 "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge". God expects us to forgive others as He has forgiven us. There are consequences behind not forgiving. Read Matthew 18: 23-35 and especially vs 35. God Bless and remember practice forgiveness for it is an essential part of the Gospel Message! Golgotha!
This is a very good devotion. It really spoke to me because so many times we want to "get back at" people who have done something to us, but then it leads me to think about what would happen if God did that to me. Thank you for all of the devotions. I really enjoy them!
I really like this devotional application
i know that we have to forgive but how can we also forget i mean my g-pa has a song called he forgives and he forgets im mean i thought only Jesus could also forgive AND forget
Response
Excellent Question. The word forget means to cease remembering, or to treat with thoughtless inattention/ neglect. When we forgive the trespasses of another against us, we should also forget or treat that trespass with inattention. It should not be something that we continue to bring up, or something that we hold for another day. It should be something that happened, and is now done, and forgotten.
A friend of mine posed another similar question, asking about remembering an action. However, remembering an action is different than remembering a trespass. For example, I may remember that a friend of mine has trouble with money, without holding resentment against him for all the unpaid loans (remembering how many times he hasn't paid me back, or the amount he owes me). The action is remembered, but his trespasses against me have been forgotten.
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Matthew 18:35
[35] So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.
Matthew 5:23-24
[23] Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; [24] Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.