Do you forgive and forget?

Question

Or forgive and never forget?

Answer 1

It is very healthful to forgive as well as forget. Unforgiven will cause a root of bitterness to spring up in your heart which could lead to other medical problems. Have you ever asked someone to forgive you for anything ... I am sure you have ... It a lot easier to do when you thank about the times that you have required others to forgive you. And I just bet you wanted it to be forgotten once you were forgiven. So forgive and forget and live a healthy life free from all bitterness and resentment.

Answer 2

I forgive and often times forget the whole reason why I was forgiving them in the first place...

Answer 3

Forgive...yes
Forget...no


Bible Study
Title: A Forgiving Heart
Date: Mar 6, 2007
Topic(s): Forgiveness/Unforgiveness
Scripture: Colossians 3:12-13, Matthew 18:21-35



Take a minute with your Bible and concordance and find the verse that says "forgive and forget." Actually, I'll help you out...it's not there. There is no verse that tells us we should forgive others and forget the offense. Because we can't. We can't purge our memories of the times we've been offended. And it's theologically dangerous to think that God, who knows everything, literally forgets the sins He forgives.

This fact is important because it's what gives forgiveness its power. Forgiving a friend when they offend you means next to nothing if all that happens is your memory is erased. But when you choose to forgive a friend, when you intentionally decide to let go of your grudge and accept them as a friend again, then you're showing the true power of forgiveness.

What Does God Say?

In his letter to the Colossians, Paul describes characteristics Christians should have:

"Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do" (Colossians 3:12-13, NKJV).

Forgiveness is hard because being offended strikes at our heart and stirs up our pride. We want to defend ourselves; we want to lash out with a devastating insult; we want the other person to feel the hurt we are feeling.

But Jesus came here to heal our hurts, and He healed the biggest hurt in our lives by dying on the cross and paying for our sins--our offenses--against His Father. As Paul pointed out, this is our greatest example of how to forgive others.

But even before He died, Jesus gave us a great illustration of the power of forgiveness in the parable recorded in Matthew 18:21-35. Take a moment to read those verses, then move on to the next section.

My Thoughts

Have you ever had a large debt or responsibility forgiven? How did you feel?
Have you ever felt that another person's sins or offenses "deserve" justice? What's the correct way to act?
My Part


If you have children, or work with children, the Matthew parable is a great one to play-act with them. Assign the roles of the king, the two servants and a couple of on-lookers to report to the king. After you act out the scene, sit down and discuss the actions of the servant and the king. Find examples in your own life of when you forgave someone and share that story.

Answer 4

Forgive and never forget.

Answer 5

Forgiveness is sturdy bit I merely forgive and unwell in no way act the comparable around them my mom used to hit ne while i replaced into 3 and that i do no longer have confidence her I do something at the back of her back so I merely forgive yet I additionally forget!

Answer 6

Yep I forgive but never forget

Answer 7

I have to admit that I forgive but I never ever forget.

Answer 8

I forgive and forget. No happy ending if it gets brought up all the time.

Answer 9

The brain and emotion do not work that way. I can forgive you and not hold it against you and the memory will not be painful. But forgetting is almost impossible unless the issue was unimportant in the first place.

Answer 10

forgive yes forget never