Remember It No More

My son and I were discussing something that's been in the media ALL day long. I'd rather not say what it was because it's negative and I don't want to go there with my blog or my mind.

My son had his views on it and I had mine (of course, we rarely see eye to eye on anything).

In discussing the subject he reminded me of something similar that we had experienced a few years ago that had totally slipped my mind. When he brought it up to me and my mind went back to it, I felt a sudden pain in my heart because it was a hurt by a friend and I had completely forgotten all about it.

I got to thinking this evening how it's good to forget hurts done to us by others, although we may not think so at the time.

I know I'm guilty of remembering things and even blasting people on Facebook for them, but that doesn't make it right.

But when a friend does something that you never thought he/she would do and God has allowed you to let it go, that's really a good thing.

When it's brought back to your mind, the hurt is fresh all over again as if it just happened and that's a bad thing.

Proverbs 17:9 came to mind today when I was going over this very matter.

"He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends."

I was pretty sure that I understood the verse, but I dug a little deeper into a couple of commentaries about it.

Benson's Commentary explains it so well. It says that he who covereth a transgression is like someone who is burying it and putting it far away, taking the best course to preserve a friendship. But he that repeateth a matter, rakes up that fault again, possibly causing an irreconcilable separation.

I get that, because when my son reminded me of what had been done to us, my feelings and emotions (two very dangerous things for a Christian if left to themselves) wanted to flair up and take over. My emotions wanted to hold the matter to that person's charge as if it happened today. But I had to fight against it. I had to consciously make the decision to let it go and not think of it anymore.

Our enemy in this world is Satan. He is out to destroy friendships, relationships, marriages, home, businesses, etc. But as followers of Christ, we must make decisions each day to NOT go with the flow of our emotions.

God warns us of how dangerous emotions are if they are not kept in check.

Proverbs 29:11 says, "A fool uttereth all his mind, but a wise man keepeth it in till afterward."

THAT is the truth! I've been a fool before online and in life. I've opened my mouth when I should have kept it closed and I've paid the price for it too.

Proverbs 15:18 tells us that a "hot tempered man stirs up strife", and I can attest to that, as well. I've run my big old mouth until I've ended up in an argument.

Now some people won't admit it, but I will. You give me two people who are divorced and I'll show you two people who have been hot tempered and stirred up strife. LOL. If there's ever a time when tempers flare and strife is stirred up, that's it.

But as children of the Most High, we are to keep our spirits under control, as in Proverbs 25:28. He tells us how important self-control is there: "A man without self control is like a city broken into and left without walls."

I don't want my spirit to become like any of the things I've mentioned above.

Gentleness and meekness are fruits of the Holy Spirit as mentioned in Galatians 5:23. I want the good things of God and so I try my best to control my emotions now.

Do I always succeed? NO!

Why? Because I still live on earth in a fleshly body and I'm not perfect. Only Jesus was perfect and had no sin.

I do strive though each day to do the will of my Father, but I come up short somewhere each day.

BUT the good news is I have an advocate, Jesus, who goes to Him for me when I repent and ask for forgiveness. He pleads my cause to His Father on my behalf. This makes me cry as I think of His love for me that He would go for me.

I said all of that to say this.

I wish my son had just kept what happened to himself and not brought it to my remembrance because now I've had to work to let it go all over again and I'll have to fight the memory from coming back.

If you've been done wrong, let it go. It's not worth hanging onto. I know that sounds odd coming from me because for many, many years I've held on to hurts by people, but I'm a work in progress and each day I pray for help in letting them all just go away. I don't want to remember what others have done to me because I don't want others to remember the hurt I've caused them. If I want forgiveness, I must forgive.

Remember to work hard and Dream Big!!

Much love,

Christy