It’s NOT Easy to FORGET

When someone has hurt you, it is not easy to FORGET. The old saying “forgive and forget” is not in the Bible, at least not for us to do.–That’s something that God does, He forgets our trespasses as soon as we repent and come to Him. It says that, “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us.” (Ps 103:12). —Complete and utter forgiveness. Once our sins have been removed, God will never hold us accountable for them.

But that’s for God. But how can WE forget? Jesus commands us “not to look back”. God wants us to focus on His forgiveness of our sins and of the sins or the hurt caused by others. In order to forget our past, our mistakes and our sins, including the hurt that has come our way, we must remember His forgiveness towards us and extend it to others as well. The more we try to forget our past, the more we focus on the hurt, and we can’t ever forget that way. It’s in focusing on God’s mercy, His forgiveness and goodness, that we replace the hurt, the regrets and the shame, by newly-formed habits of praise and thankfulness.

I like what Rick Warren says when he talks about rebuking the devil. He says, “Stop rebuking the devil, it just makes you focus on him and his evil devices. Instead, focus on the power of God and the authority of the name of Jesus that causes you to triumph.”

The way to replace bad habits or unpleasant thought patterns is by disciplining our mind and replacing those thoughts with what we are eager to become. That’s why proclaiming the Word on your life is so effective. By so doing, you’re training your mind to focus on the things of God and what He says about you, not what you or others think of you.

All thru out the Bible, God has made provision for our sins to be forgiven and for fellowship to be restored with our Father. “I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for My own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” (Isaiah 43:25). God’s thoughts toward us are not evil and mean. (Jer 29:11). To the contrary, His thoughts are filled with encouragement and support. “How precious also are Your thoughts towards me, O God! How great is the sum of them!” (Ps 139:16-17).

King Hezekiah said, “You have put all my sins behind your back.” (Isa 38:17). And in the New Testament, the sacrifice and the price that Jesus paid on the cross is the foundation of our freedom from guilt: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Rom 8:1).

So there’s no point for us to dwell on our past. To me, the one law that Paul shared with the Philippians, is the key to renewing my mind. He said,”Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think [ONLY] about such things.” (Phil 4:8). So don’t try to FORGET your past, live in the present. Live out the goodness of God towards you. Be who God says you are.

If you’ve seen the movie “Pollyanna”, when the older sickly woman was complaining about everything, and she said to Pollyanna, “What is there to be glad about when you’re sick and dying like I am?” Pollyanna replied, “You should be glad that you are living!”

You must replace all evil in your life, and in your head, with what the Word says. That’s what “on earth as it is in Heaven” means.

• When you hear bad news, don’t repeat it, rather dwell on the good things.
• If you hear about sickness, rebuke it with the Name above all names.
• If you feel pain in your body, bust out in praise that He already paid for your healing.
• You hear about your past, thank God you’re no longer that “old man”. You’ve been made anew, and you’re free.
• You hear about evil in the world, speak aloud goodness for the nation or the leaders.
• If you hear negative things said about you, forgive with God’s compassion and pray for those who speak evil against you.

Whether it’s remembering our past hurts or correcting the wrongs in our present, the formula is the same.

We must replace ALL evil with goodness. We’re always at war against the works of the devil. “Pray without ceasing” means to replace the works of the devil consistently by speaking the truth of the Word of God on everything you hear, see or touch. Let no evil come near you, nor in you, and let no evil around you. Correct it, Speak TRUTH. “Declare these things; exhort and rebuke. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say.” (Tit 2:15).

“Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and He will grant you His blessing.” (1Pet 3:9).

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“This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be My people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”(Jer 31:33-34)