Mostly Forgotten

[AzA]

A friend posted this status message on Facebook this week and it made me smile, and then think:

Jesus Loves You! In spite of, well, never mind. Really it was only a little thing & all is forgiven & forgotten. Mostly.

It sparks off a number of concepts for me, including "omniscience," "amnesia," "judgment," "guilt," "memory," "record-keeping," and "forgiveness."

Thoughts?

 

[StormyOne]

A friend posted this status message on Facebook this week and it made me smile, and then think:



It sparks off a number of concepts for me, including "omniscience," "amnesia," "judgment," "guilt," "memory," "record-keeping," and "forgiveness."

Thoughts?

that is thought provoking... if God is what we say he is, then he loves us just because... he has already forgiven us and is not keeping score...

 

[Laodicean]

A friend posted this status message on Facebook this week and it made me smile, and then think:

Jesus Loves You! In spite of, well, never mind. Really it was only a little thing & all is forgiven & forgotten. Mostly
​

It sparks off a number of concepts for me, including "omniscience," "amnesia," "judgment," "guilt," "memory," "record-keeping," and "forgiveness."

Thoughts?

I don't know. I've forgiven certain wrongs done against me in the past, but I haven't forgotten them. Does that mean I really have not forgiven?

 

[StormyOne]

I don't know. I've forgiven certain wrongs done against me in the past, but I haven't forgotten them. Does that mean I really have not forgiven?

depends... are you holding it against the person? or are you just preventing yourself from being vulnerable to that person again?

 

[Laodicean]

depends... are you holding it against the person? or are you just preventing yourself from being vulnerable to that person again?

no, I don't hold it against the person, but I sure don't want to put myself in a position to be hurt again.

As to another incident, a deeply horrible thing was done to someone close to me, and it tore me up for at least a year. But then I forgave the culprit, and I can now be around that person without hostility or anger, nor would I fail to help him should he need help. But if I ever am called upon to review the events done by this person to someone so near and dear to me, I get angry all over again about it. Does that mean I have not forgiven? Dunno.

 

[StormyOne]

no, I don't hold it against the person, but I sure don't want to put myself in a position to be hurt again.

As to another incident, a deeply horrible thing was done to someone close to me, and it tore me up for at least a year. But then I forgave the culprit, and I can now be around that person without hostility or anger, nor would I fail to help him should he need help. But if I ever am called upon to review the events done by this person to someone so near and dear to me, I get angry all over again about it. Does that mean I have not forgiven? Dunno.

I think forgiveness is when you no longer hold it against that person.... so then only you know when you have arrived at that point....

 

[Laodicean]

I think forgiveness is when you no longer hold it against that person.... so then only you know when you have arrived at that point....

well, the person was most definitely wrong in what he did. Does continuing to look upon his act as heinous and wrong mean that I'm holding it against him? Does a heinous action become okay if I stop holding it against him?

 

[StormyOne]

well, the person was most definitely wrong in what he did. Does continuing to look upon his act as heinous and wrong mean that I'm holding it against him? Does a heinous action become okay if I stop holding it against him?

Forgiveness is not about making okay the heinous act as much as it is about freeing you so you can go on with your life... otherwise you will always be connected to that person and not in a positive way...

 

[Laodicean]

Forgiveness is not about making okay the heinous act as much as it is about freeing you so you can go on with your life... otherwise you will always be connected to that person and not in a positive way...

that's good. I must keep that in mind.

But how do you stop remembering, though. Most days now I completely forget the horror. But if someone brings it up, the total injustice of it makes me angry all over again. Does forgiveness mean that the day will come when someone will bring up the subject, and I will feel no anger over the event? Is it possible to become so far removed in mind from a happening that if it is brought to my attention once again, that it will not move me to indignation at the senseless act?

That aspect of forgiveness I don't seem to have a handle on. If forgiveness means forgetting, then I have not forgiven. If it means that I wish no harm to the person, then I have forgiven. So which is it.

 

[StormyOne]

that's good. I must keep that in mind.

But how do you stop remembering, though. Most days now I completely forget the horror. But if someone brings it up, the total injustice of it makes me angry all over again. Does forgiveness mean that the day will come when someone will bring up the subject, and I will feel no anger over the event? Is it possible to become so far removed in mind from a happening that if it is brought to my attention once again, that it will not move me to indignation at the senseless act?

That aspect of forgiveness I don't seem to have a handle on. If forgiveness means forgetting, then I have not forgiven. If it means that I wish no harm to the person, then I have forgiven. So which is it.

If you don't wish them harm, then you've forgiven... and in time I suspect it will not cause you to feel the way you feel about the incident....