If I want to be like God, I have to forgive those that
sin against me (Ephesians 4:32). I
recognize that I sin too. Of course I want to be forgiven, but I have to
forgive too.
Otherwise, God will not forgive me (Mathew 6:14-15).
God forgives anyone that
regrets the sin and confess it (1John 1:9), therefore I have to forgive anyone
that regrets that sinned against me (Luke 17:3-4). The unconfessed sin will not
be forgiven (John 20:23), so we have to apologize every time for committed sin
and look with gratitude at any true reprimand that is brought to us.
I’ve heard it said that ”if
you don’t forget, it means that you didn’t forgive”.
Though, I think that forgiveness doesn’t make you able
to delete your memory.
I don’t think that Jesus will
forget the reason why He died on the cross and we must not forget it too. But
we must change the way we remember about this. Joseph didn’t forget what his
brothers did to him, but because he forgave them, he could change the way he
remembered that fact.
I have to forgive out of love,
exact as forgave me (Ephesians 4:32), altogether, without reminding about this.
God, help me to forgive!