Friday Fight 11 - Forgive but can't Forget?
Every Friday, when I wake and pray, God places something on my heart to help me fight darkness beginning in the mind. Today is FF11.
Forgiven but can’t Forget?
How many of us have been damaged by someone and are willing to forgive but not forget? We often hear sermons that preach forgiveness, but how do we unpack this? When we forgive someone, we are not letting them off the hook or excusing their behavior. We are choosing not to carry the damage caused by what they did. We are letting go of the pain, hatred, and anger. Refusing to forgive does not hurt the other person; it hurts us; we are carrying the offense, not them. Harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison but waiting for the other person to die. Declaring forgiveness but not forgetting is NOT true forgiveness. I have seen people proclaim forgiveness, almost bragging to others, then refuse to speak to that person during functions. This is verbal forgiveness while the heart keeps score. Sadly, unforgiveness leads to bitterness, a sin that is VERY attractive to other sins.
Genuine forgiveness is JUSTIFIED through Christ. True forgiveness is JUST as IF it didn’t happen. So often, we feel others are undeserving, yet we did not deserve the unparalleled sacrifice Christ paid for our sins. Christ paid a debt He did not owe at a price we couldn’t pay.
So, what happens after you forgive someone? Darkness will work tirelessly to convince you that you have been played, made a mistake, or look like a fool. Satan does this in an attempt to keep us from forgetting. Once we forgive, we will have to wake each consecutive morning and choose forgiveness repeatedly, day after day. Eventually, we will see the person through the eyes of Christ. Keeping a score becomes part of the past. When we move past our past, we find joy! Don’t let darkness steal your joy. Think about someone you have forgiven with words but not your heart. Pray and see how this can be applied to your life.
Pastor Shannon
New Life Church
Colossians 1:13-14