A Great Stress Reliever - Forgive & Forget

Everyone is looking for ways to de-stress their lives these days.  Why? because we have brought the stress on ourselves. How?  by over committing ourselves. When? It seems every single day of our lives. We are the only ones that can take care of this stress.  There are some things that you say “no” to and cut back on the stress of responsibilities but there are other things that we can do “inwardly” that will cut back tremendously on stress.

The main way I want to discuss in this article is FORGIVE AND FORGET. I can hear you right now saying, Well, I can forgive but I can’t forget!” Yes, you can if you want to bad enough.

“When they came to a place called The Skull, they nailed him to the cross. And the criminals were also crucified—one on his right and one on his left.  Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.’ And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice.”

Luke 23:33-34

“If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”  

Matthew 6:14-15

These two verses are starters to show us we have to forgive.  No matter what anyone does to us it is not more than was done to Jesus Christ!  He was able to forgive so if He can forgive then it is definite that we can if we will allow ourselves to do so. Did you catch that last statement,” If we allow ourselves to forgive”?
We have the option to forgive and forget. I have learned over the years that the only one you are hurting if you do not forgive it YOURSELF! You are harboring that unforgiveness inside of you. You are constantly thinking on what the person said or did to you or did not do to you.  You are dwelling on it. You constantly think about it and with each thought you are building a brick wall that is higher and higher.  With every brick or unforgiven thought you are making it harder and harder to forgive and forget.

Don’t let anyone convince you that you can forgive and not forget. You can forget.  It is not going to be easy and it won’t happen overnight but you can do it.

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, 

which binds us all together in perfect harmony.” 

Colossians 3:12-14

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. t is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 

It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

Love never fails…...” 

I Corinthians 13:4-8a

Think about this.  We are to clothe ourselves with LOVE and LOVE keeps no records of wrongs. So how can you forgive if you are not forgetting?  If you are not forgetting you are keeping records of those wrongs.  Now, how do we forget? by asking God to help us forgive and forget.  We may have to bring this matter before God many times in a day or in an hour but each and every time these thoughts are brought up in our heads we have to ask God to please help us forgive and forget these things. 

We cannot do it on our own.  Our human nature and satan will not allow us to do it on our own. Satan will bring up these things that we are trying to forgive and forget just to get our feathers ruffled once again.  We have to stop and “…. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." James 4:7. We have to make the devil run. You can do this by “Submitting yourself to God…” James 4:7.  So this may happen many times through the day because Satan is not going to stop at one time, he knows when and where to hit you and he will kick you when you are down so do not hesitate to start asking God to help you forgive and forget as soon as you feel the first thought coming to your mind.

Can you imagine how much stress you are cutting out of your life and mind by throwing that burden of harboring unforgiveness and not forgetting?  You will be very amazed at how much more peace you will receive when you can finally say I do forgive and forget that certain situation. Lay it at the foot of the cross and let God have more room in your heart to do His work.