a few weeks ago at a bible study the leader gave this quote "one's ability to forgive an offense is key to one's ability to forget." i am not sure what i think of this quote. sure i think it is great on the surface. sure we should be able to forgive and i think it is important not to continue hashing out the past by continuing to remind yourself of what this person did to harm you. but i wonder if we can possibly forget?
i think everything in life happens for a reason. our reaction to that circumstance will either build us and make us stronger or hurt us and make us weaker. i have also heard for years not to forget history or we would be doomed to repeat it. now i now this might not be a biblical concept, but why should we continue to allow ourselves be susceptible to making another mistake.
forgiveness of course is a biblical concept. first Christ forgave us and in ephesians 4:32 "forgive each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." and psalm 103:12 "as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." and i know this is referring to God forgiving us, and i know it says that he forgets our sins. but how can we as a human forget. is it possible, and if it is possible do i want to forget. shouldnt what we just went through be important enough to remember so it doesnt happen again.
this has been my mind since i have heard this, and at this moment i am not holding onto a grudge, and have forgiven those who have wronged me. at this moment i cant say that i actually remember one either. but i would like to hear from you. what do you think about forgiving and forgetting?
1 comment:
As far as I understand it biblical forgiveness is not acting on an offence i.e. holding it against the person. My dog poops all over the house but I forgive him therefore I will not kill him. I am still angry and don't trust him to be alone again. I don't believe that forgive and forget is biblical or practical. If I forget how many times someone has hurt me and I allow them to do it over and over am I not becoming an enabler and teaching them that behavior is ok? I am neither loving my neighbor or myself if I allow them to use and abuse my trust.
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