The Three Fors: Forgive, Forget, Forward!

Forgive.

Matthew:18:22 Then came Peter to him, and said, “Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?”

Ponder this:

Jesus saith unto him, “I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.’

Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.’ And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, ‘O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?’

And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”

Forget.

*Note: It has been brought to my attention that “Forget” my not be the best word to describe the point I’m trying to get across. (Thank you, Denny! 😊) We can’t learn from something we have forgotten; but the ill feelings associated with unforgiveness can remain and rule our hearts if we allow it. The ill feelings is what you want to forget about having after forgiving! The way Denny put it, to keep up with words that begin with F: Filter the good from the bad so we can Flourish in the Future.

Philippians 3:13&14: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

This may be a bit of a stretch, but remember in Genesis when God was about to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah how he spared Lot and his family? Do you remember what happened to Lot’s wife when she looked back to what all she was leaving behind? She looked back at all the evil and sin that God was about to destroy, and she turned into a pillar of salt!

This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t learn the lesson; that is, forget it and then do it again. Jesus didn’t die on the cross so we can sin whenever we please because He will forgive us.

Forward!

Philippians 3:13&14: Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

When God sent the ten plagues on Egypt to release the Israelites in the book of Exodus, the people considered turning back because it would be better to be slaves than to be dead. I know it’s easier for me since I know the story and how it ends, but really. Who sent the plagues? Did they think He would not see them through? The third option: go forward!

And likewise is it better to be a slave to sin? I’m not a huge fan of being dead either. God, please give me the strength to leave the past in the past and look ahead to the prize!

I’ve heard that when we look back at sins that God has already forgiven and continue to beat ourselves up for it, it’s like saying that Jesus’ dying in our place wasn’t good enough. That really hit me hard. It’s hard to let go, but Jesus was enough. More than enough. He was the final sacrifice.

So remember the three for’s: forgive, forget, and move forward!