My aunt met with an accident few days ago and she was telling how she is unable to remember certain things in life after the accident. Immediately my dad told her that even forgetting is a gift of God. This made me think of how forgetting could be a gift.
FORGETTING SAVES FROM DEPRESSION
People possessing extremely detailed photographic memory are called hyperthymesiacs. At first glance, it seems cool to recall every bit of your history! But on second thought, this would be a recipe for depression: whereas great memories will pop up, bad ones will be stuck on the replay button forever with the erase button jammed. You’ll be caught in an endless rewind play of a certain scene. Years will slip by and plenty of “now” moments will be missed… haunted by regrets rather than paying attention to the present. Isaiah 43:18-19 says, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old”. This is why the human ability to forget is a staggering gift that can save from depression.
FORGETTING HELPS TO MOVE FORWARD
On my way home from work, I started thinking about something which I regret doing few years ago... how things should have been different etc. I have to say sometimes I go over things that have occurred in the past and keep thinking and thinking about the rather than leaving them in the past and move on. Even the scriptures says in Philippians 3 vs 13 “Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward…” Forgetting makes me to move forward. I must always remember to move on from the 'scarred tissue'. We don’t usually consider it a gift, but think of the consequences if we don’t forget. We don’t want to be stuck in this journey of life but move forward.
FORGETTING AIDES THE FORGIVENESS PROCESS
Looking back at my life, I have gone through a lot and accumulated things I no longer want to remember; both things done to me and things I have done to others. With each day, the distance generated has given me time to grieve, heal, forget and forgive. If I had to remember everything bad that people have done to me, I’m sure that I would not be talking to most of the friends & relatives. It’s through this that I’ve realized that the ability to forget is another expression of the grace of God to me. Even God forgives and forgets. Hebrews 8:12 says “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." I thank God for the gift of forgetting. It gives time for us to heal and it aides the forgiveness process.
God has blessed human beings with many Gifts, and one of the most important amongst them is the Gift of Forgetting. Hope you and I will embrace this gift!
FORGETTING SAVES FROM DEPRESSION
People possessing extremely detailed photographic memory are called hyperthymesiacs. At first glance, it seems cool to recall every bit of your history! But on second thought, this would be a recipe for depression: whereas great memories will pop up, bad ones will be stuck on the replay button forever with the erase button jammed. You’ll be caught in an endless rewind play of a certain scene. Years will slip by and plenty of “now” moments will be missed… haunted by regrets rather than paying attention to the present. Isaiah 43:18-19 says, “Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old”. This is why the human ability to forget is a staggering gift that can save from depression.
FORGETTING HELPS TO MOVE FORWARD
On my way home from work, I started thinking about something which I regret doing few years ago... how things should have been different etc. I have to say sometimes I go over things that have occurred in the past and keep thinking and thinking about the rather than leaving them in the past and move on. Even the scriptures says in Philippians 3 vs 13 “Forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward…” Forgetting makes me to move forward. I must always remember to move on from the 'scarred tissue'. We don’t usually consider it a gift, but think of the consequences if we don’t forget. We don’t want to be stuck in this journey of life but move forward.
FORGETTING AIDES THE FORGIVENESS PROCESS
Looking back at my life, I have gone through a lot and accumulated things I no longer want to remember; both things done to me and things I have done to others. With each day, the distance generated has given me time to grieve, heal, forget and forgive. If I had to remember everything bad that people have done to me, I’m sure that I would not be talking to most of the friends & relatives. It’s through this that I’ve realized that the ability to forget is another expression of the grace of God to me. Even God forgives and forgets. Hebrews 8:12 says “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more." I thank God for the gift of forgetting. It gives time for us to heal and it aides the forgiveness process.
God has blessed human beings with many Gifts, and one of the most important amongst them is the Gift of Forgetting. Hope you and I will embrace this gift!
