Forgive and FORGET

"For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." Jeremiah 31:34.  Why is it that we love to hang on to the memory of old offenses committed against us? Somehow we think the wounds will bestow  martyrdom upon us, and years from now, people will recall our suffering, while praying to small statutes of us! Well, I know I cling to that hope!!!  LOL. The problem with “hoarding” past wrongs, is that you get buried behind them, and can’t see what God has planned for your future. You’ve all seen parts of the Hoarders show, haven’t you?  Those people can’t even find their way to the front door let alone the future.   On a regular basis I hear folks say, “Oh I forgive alright, I just don’t forget”. Yes, forgetting is hard to do, especially if it was a painful infraction, and yes memories linger like a scar, but it is possible. God isn’t suffering from amnesia when he makes that promise, He can’t forget, nor can we, but he CHOOSES not to remember.  Aha, see the difference? When we make the choice to forgive, we MUST also choose to forget.  Yes, learn from those trespasses, so you can avoid similar situations in days to come.  If you’re having trouble forgetting, remember all those hoarders losing out on real life, because they can’t let go of the past.  Here’s another promise to help you get started.  “But forget all that--it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.” Isaiah 43:18