Forgive… and Remember

We’ve all heard the phrase “forgive and forget.” People say it like it’s as simple as deleting an email. But life doesn’t work that way. The heart doesn’t work that way. Some hurts leave bruises that can’t be hidden — and some leave scars that don’t erase. Forgetting? That’s humanly impossible.

But here’s the best surprise ever. God never asked us to forget. Not once. What He did say was something far more powerful — “Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.” (Colossians 3:13)

Forgive — and remember. Remember His mercy that runs deeper than our mistakes. Remember His grace that rescues us daily. Remember how many times He has wiped our slate clean.

Here’s the beautiful twist — when we choose to remember God’s goodness — the grip of what happened to us releases. The memory might not disappear, but the sting fades. The power of the offense held over us weakens. The weight starts to lift.

Forgetting happens when we remember — not the hurt, but the Healer.

Truthfully, we get to choose what we hold in our minds. We can replay the wound — or we can replay God’s kindness. We can cling to yesterday — or we can open our hands to tomorrow.

One thing is certain — God never designed us to haul resentment into the future. It’s too heavy for the ones He calls “my beloved.” Bitterness keeps us stuck. Unforgiveness chains us to the moment we were wronged. And we weren’t created for bondage — we were created for freedom.

So here’s a simple heart check-up for today: What am I remembering most? The offense? Or God’s goodness?

We’ll know the answer by the condition of our heart. If we’re remembering the offense — heaviness follows. But if we’re remembering God’s grace — peace becomes our companion.

Forgiveness isn’t pretending it didn’t happen. It’s refusing to let it define us. It’s trusting God to do the healing work that only He can do. It’s stepping into the future without dragging yesterday behind us.

May we be people who forgive deeply, remembering God’s mercy often and walking forward with hearts light enough to love again.