Western Echo Article

Don't let your memories hold a gun to your head

Unforgiveness is what you uncover when you look beneath the surface of anger. Every time you get annoyed, frustrated, resentful and angry you have the option of forgiving which pulls the plug on anger. I’ve found it amusing practicing forgiveness while driving my car. When I start to feel annoyed or angry at drivers who are ill mannered, I forgive them. Calm is restored.  You can try this one at home, work, and with your friends.

Can anything be done about things I’ve done which stubbornly force themselves into my thinking to be replayed in my mind? Stuff I’m angry that I did or didn’t stop when I had a chance. Some people have shared with me their innermost secrets and innermost struggles. In common with them all is a sense of being unable to forgive themselves for something that happened in their past. They can’t seem to forget their bad memory, so they carry it with them like an emotional injury which won’t heal. Bad memories hurt and sometimes they make us feel like we need to punish ourselves.

Jesus came not to help you forget or erase your memory. Jesus came to redeem your memories. There was a bloke who, before he believed in Jesus, went around organising for Christians to be executed. He said of himself “...I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy.” (1 Tim 1:13) Paul was his name and he became one of the greatest Apostles. Christ redeemed Paul’s life including his memories. When Paul thought about his bad memories, he also remembered that he had sought forgiveness from God and been forgiven by God.

The forgiveness we have from Jesus is greater than any forgiveness we can give to ourselves. No punishment is greater than the one Jesus endured on the cross for us. This means we don’t have to forgive ourselves. We should instead seek the forgiveness God has prepared for us in Christ. This is the best way to have redeeming memories.

Listen to or watch my messages on this theme @ www.godsgap.net/forgive