Forgive and Forget...

*Forgive and Forget*
Someone close to me once asked me if I thought it was possible to forgive and forget...the question caught me off guard because I had never thought about it before...the answer I gave was something that you might hear in any Sunday school class...anywhere in America...you know...Turn the other cheek...be the bigger person...I said everything and nothing all at the same time...so after thinking about it a little more...I've decided to put more thought to my answer...and answer the question, "Is it possible to forgive and forget?"

The answer to the question is Yes and No...let me explain...Is it possible to forgive Yes...is it possible to forget No...this advice, to forgive and forget, sounds very hard to put into practice...especially when you have been cut deeply by someone you know or even care about...when you Forgive and Forget you are saying to this person...not only do I forgive you for doing me wrong...I am going to forget that it ever happened...

Now the latter seems impossible...How can I forget the way in which I was wronged? The truth is you can't forget...everytime you see this person...or everytime you are reminded of the incident...the scab is ripped off and your wound is new again...when you have TRULY forgiven someone it IS possible to forget, but not in the way that we think...

When you forget you are saying that I am not going to put (the person who wronged you) on trial everytime your paths cross...you won't give dirty looks...or talk about this person behind their back...you won't send them on a guilt trip every chance you get...Forgiveness is a commitment...I think that is why Christ said turn the other cheek...it is not because being a Christian means you have to be weak and submissive...turning the other cheek means that you are strong enough to handle whatever attempts Satan has at knocking you off your narrow path...Peter asked Christ how many times should I forgive my brother...Christ replied 70 times 7...Who could actually keep track of that? No one...Christ is asking you not only to forgive but forget about it...not because He wants you to look like a fool...but because He wants you to look like Him. What better person to learn forgiveness from then Christ? How many times have you wronged Him? Everytime you need Him, isn't he always right on time? As Christians, we strive to be Christ-like...so the next time someone does you wrong...don't rub their face in their mistakes, but forgive them and forget about it...

Through the resurrection Christ gave us the power to forgive...The Holy Spirit was sent to remind us of these things to comfort us at all times...The Bible says that all have sinned and fell short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23) We were born sinners...what do sinners do?? Sinners sin...my Pastor and mentor once said to me...The distance between your Expectations and Reality determines your level of Frustration...Don't allow failed expectations to get you down...when the reality of the situation is so clear...no one is perfect...people make mistakes...take it from me...Your days will go a lot smoother...

Forgiveness is a commitment...a choice...choose to forgive...