Two critical aspects of the Christian life are remembering on the one hand and forgetting on the other.
What do I mean?
When I was in high school football, we had this thing called two-a-days. The best way to describe this is early, uncomfortable, and exhausting. My alarm would go off each morning, and, in the darkness, I would, in misery and dismay, arise from my slumber. Upon arrival, we would be hurriedly ushered to a dew-covered field, expected to embrace the drills with all our energy as we undertook the uniform stretching and preparation routines. Then, with all their whistling and authoritative commands, the coaches would move us to our positions, where our other coaches would have us run drill after drill. Wet, tired, and surprisingly invigorated, we would finish the morning workout only to return and repeat another practice later that day.
How might two-a-days relate to remembering and forgetting?
On the one hand, the misery of that brief season was unbearable; yet, on the other hand, it was fundamentally necessary to our development as athletes–mentally, physically, for comradeship, and more.
As painful as that time was, the “actual” sting of the misery was correspondingly forgotten in time. Indeed, the momentary discomfort gave way each year and was not so great as to keep me from continually engaging in the process before launching into the new football season.
Similarly, life offers us difficult seasons that we must endure, sometimes repeatedly, that at times seem unbearable. Still, the actual pain is superseded by the memory of what it produces, as time does its work to mute the noise at the moment, and we replace those experiences with new ones.
We both (1) remember and (2) forget.
(1) We remember what the pain taught us, formed in us, and enabled us to think, feel, and/or do as a result of the experience. Thus, the Christian sees the outcome as more significant than the pain.
(2) We forget the full measure of how sharp, tangled, and brutal the experience of the discomfort in our lives. Thus, with time and choosing to have short memories, the Christian’s pain is appropriated in a proper position.
How Does This Apply To Us Today?
- REMEMBER: Cultivate memories of God’s sovereign grace.
- FORGET: Choose to forget past wrongs, hurts, and pain.
REMEMBER
One of the critical aspects the apostle Paul wanted the members of the church of Ephesus (and principally all Christians) to remember was that the gospel removed their alienation (because of sin) and brought them near (because of the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ).
What would be the result of remembering their former separation and present union?
As they (we) remembered the gospel, they (we) would extend their (our) vertical reconciliation with God horizontally to their (our) friends, enemies, and everyone in their sphere of influence around them.
FORGET
Another essential element of Christian living is the forgetting that occurs naturally and the forgetting that we choose to implement regularly. When hurt by someone’s actions or words, it’s easy to say we “forgive but cannot forget.” This mentality is rooted in pragmatism, with a focus on what works. In other words, pragmatic forgetting focuses on horizontal experiences because it comes “in handy.” This type of forgetting is entitled and natural.
However, the gospel does not permit this endeavor as we think it does or should. Instead, the gospel’s root is in the soil of godly forgetfulness, not entitlement.
What do I mean?
Love received is love given. If Christians have received love, then they can give love. One aspect of this love is that it “does not keep records of wrong.” This is unnatural. What’s natural is to remember the account of wrongs or store them away for future use. However, that’s pragmatic forgetting. The Christian instead offers gospel forgiving.
Sound impossible? On the one hand, yes. However, on the other hand, no.
However, when we forget and remember according to the gospel of Jesus Christ, a mystery occurs, reaching into a realm as real as ours.
“…the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 3:10
Christians who walk in gospel remembering and forgetting reveal the wisdom of God to the supernatural realm!
