I found the following in our local paper. “Thirty years ago, my husband’s sister-in-law made a pass at him. …I have forgiven her, but forgetting is something else, and every time I see her, the old anger comes back. …Any suggestions for moving past this in a positive way?”
First of all, what biblical tool would you use? If you picked the “O” for offer and get forgiveness constantly, you’d have chosen wisely. Now, comes the fun part. Using that tool, what would you tell her? This will tell me if you know how to use this tool in the real world in which you and those around you live. It’s okay to refresh your memory using your book.
Answer? You can’t forget! Forgiveness has nothing to do with forgetting. It has everything to do with not giving the incident any more room or time in your head. This only allows the anger to return. No, you put up your shield of faith: “I forgave that person.” Then, get back to thinking about what you were thinking or doing when that thought came back.
Forgiveness allows you to focus on the present, not the past. Forgiveness allows you to walk in joy today, not the pain from yesterday as you no longer give the incident any head time. As you do, the pain from the memory, which causes the anger, will slowly get smaller and smaller.
If the person happens to be in front of you, visualize the time you shredded the paper with their name and incident on it. Then pull out other tools, truths the Spirit has given you to focus on, so you can keep listening to and following Jesus at that moment. You can exercise the truth He’s given you, which in the end only makes you feel better about you, rather than angry towards them.
Keep practicing using your biblical tools!
Set Free N“O”www