Remembering and forgetting

We went to a hockey game tonight. Our team from home defeated the team here where we are on vacation by scoring a goal in the last 21 seconds of the game. Probably a third of the fans were on their feet cheering. The rest of them looked like they wanted to simply forget the whole evening.

Cheering for a favorite team is easy. Forgetting a defeat isn’t quite as simple. God wants me to cheer and rejoice in the victories that He gives, and forget all the times I’ve fallen and failed, because those are forgiven and covered by the blood of Christ. 

I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD, the praises of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and the great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love. (Isaiah 63:7)

On the way home, I thought about some of the good things that God has given me in the past few weeks. It brought joy to my heart. Tonight, my devotional reading is also about remembering the goodness of God and challenged me to recount some of them . . . 

I can remember the holy hour when Jesus walked into my life. You revealed who He is and made me Your child. Because of Your grace and saving power, that was the most significant day of my life.

I remember also several major victories over major sins, sins that I wanted to shake but could not do by myself. I cried out to You and You took them from me, snapping the chains and setting me free.

I can remember a time of great physical pain and You gave me such joy that the pain was nothing by comparison. I can also remember a long period of great emotional pain. You came to my side and cried with me, then bore me through it — as a father carries his hurting child.

There was a time when I was so poor that I could not pay a major bill and You provided unexpected funds from an unexpected source. There have been many occasions where I needed wisdom or ideas or just endurance, and You have never let me down.

The Bible tells me to remember all Your goodness, but it also tells me to forget “what lies behind” that I might press on toward the goal You have for me. 

One thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13–14)

I used to tease my father about his selective hearing, and now see that You desire that I have “selective” remembering and “selective” forgetting. I’m not to remember that bad stuff and dwell on my failures. I’m not to forget Your great power and goodness. Instead, I’m to be selective — like You are selective with Your remembering and forgetting.

Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD! (Psalm 25:6–7)

How grateful I am that You forget my sins and instead remember mercy and love. Thank You so much for remembering me. Tonight, I’m also thankful that pressing on toward the goal includes both forgetting the past, yet not forgetting the history of You in my life.