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 authentic, 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 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 stemming from the decades of sin, he began prompting my spirit into action. He showed me what I needed to do in the power of his Spirit: forgive myself, forgive individuals who hurt me, and seek forgiveness from those I had hurt. 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 toward the other party in order to be genuine. Little did I know that forgiveness would be everything but a feel good endeavor.

It’s 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 forgiving myself, the steps that followed became easier to take. I knew that no matter what the outcome would be in each situation, I had done what Jesus 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 offenses instead of being bound by them.

While I still sin, I strive to trust the Spirit for the power 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 withhold forgiveness from ourselves and others when Christ never intended that. He came to free us from self-condemnation so that we may forgive ourselves and others. Let us walk, freely, in the ways of forgiveness, since his Spirit within us empowers us to do so.

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

Throughout This Day: As you reflect on today’s devotional, ask yourself if you are refusing to forgive someone. If so, pray that God would soften your heart and empower you to forgive them just as Christ forgave you, and then thank him that the Holy Spirit does just that.