Forgive or Forget?

When I experienced the true forgiveness of Jesus as a Christian for the first time, I was baffled. It was so pure and genuine, yet completely unbelievable. Doesn’t he realize I committed unspeakable transgressions, not to mention all the people I hurt as a result of them? Yes, he knew it all - every despicable, vile thing and, still, he wiped my slate clean.

I began to believe that even though Christ had fully forgiven me, there’s no way he’d forget the things I had done. Over time, however, he helped me receive and believe something more. Not only had he forgiven me, but, ‘as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our (my) transgressions from us (me)’ (Psalm 103:12). All this for me!

Jesus didn’t stop at that, though. There was more. Seeing my deep hurt and bondage stemming from the decades of sin, he began prompting my spirit into action. By the power of the Holy Spirit, he showed me what I needed to do: forgive the individuals who hurt me over the years and seek forgiveness from those I knew I had wronged. It was a hard task list to swallow. My heart began pounding out of my chest as I pondered his strong direction.

I procrastinated in carrying out the assignment for years, making excuses along the way. I convinced myself that ‘doing' forgiveness needed to have a warm and fuzzy feeling in order to be genuine toward the other party. Little did I know that forgiveness would be everything but a feel good endeavor but, nonetheless, a command coming directly from my loving heavenly Father found in today’s verses.

Forgiveness is messy and horribly uncomfortable. It’s diving back into muck I fought so hard to get out of. It’s facing someone who never forgot what I did. Faithfully, the Lord helped me every step of the way down that blackened corridor toward redemption. When I started by praying for God’s help in his call toward this walk of obedience, the steps that followed became easier to take. I knew that no matter what the outcome in each situation, I had done what the Lord wanted me to do and, maybe, something noteworthy would result.

Well, so much more came out of the process than I originally hoped. There was rawness and vulnerability, reconciliation and healing, humility and peace. To forgive was to forget. It liberated me from a personal prison I had locked myself into. It enabled me to move on and live a spiritually healthy and productive life in which I freely forgive and forget the indiscretion instead of being bound by it.

While I still sin, I strive to sin less and quickly seek forgiveness while lamenting the wrongdoing. I never want to take the Lord’s mercy and forgiving nature for granted.

Even as believers, we have a tendency to hold unforgiveness hostage against others when Christ never intended that. He came to free us from self condemnation so that we may forgive those who hurt us. Let us walk, freely, in the ways of forgiveness, as the Holy Spirit enables us to.

Precious Jesus, thank you for lavishly forgiving me when I do wrong. Help me to do the same toward others. In your holy name I pray. Amen.

Throughout This Day: As you reflect on today’s message, ask yourself if you are holding onto unforgiveness against someone. If so, I pray you would be compelled to forgive them just as Christ forgave you.