Davidisms - Forgive but Don't Forget

Forgiveness isn’t an option. It’s a command from Jesus. Did you know your own forgiveness from God is contingent upon your forgiveness of others? Jesus said so: “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you”(Matthew 6:14). Wow. This means if we want God to forgive us, we must forgive others. But please note: Forgiveness does not mean forgetting. There is a difference. While God is an eternal amnesiac, He doesn’t command us to be. God forgives and forgets. We should not. We need to remember the harm that’s been done to us - for the good purpose of not putting ourselves in a position to let it happen again. In this way, our memory serves to protect us from further harm. Memory becomes a precious gift from God to us. At the exit of the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem are the words, “Never forget.” We should never forget what happened to the Jews. Nor should we ever forget when evil has been done to us. Give your pain and bitterness to Jesus. Let him heal it. It may take some time. But he will. Don’t ever forget what happened to you. Forgiveness and forgetting are different disciplines. That’s why it’s important to forgive, but don’t forget.