Straight Thinking 022568 Learning to Forget
Straight Thinking
022568
LEARNING TO FORGET
Sunday. When God gave Solomon the choice of anything he wanted, Solomon showed his wisdom by asking for it. If God were to give you second choice, what would be your request? Remember how long it took you to learn how to work that one kind of algebra equation? Weren’t you disgusted when you couldn’t remember how to work it for the semester test? It would be great if you could just ask for the ability to remember everything! Or would it? (Read 1 Kings 3:5-9.)
Monday. It probably has not been long since a relative or friend died or was killed. No doubt you’re glad that burden of grief does not linger on and on. In a world filled with deaths, you are grateful that such a load of sorrow does not remain to be doubled by another avalanche of anguish. We would be crushed in our tracks if God had not given us the ability to forget. (Read John 16:20, 22.)
Tuesday. Pain is an unfortunate blessing. It’s unfortunate that a broken leg causes so much suffering, but pain often blesses with the warning that something wrong needs to be corrected. A careless driver, seriously injured in an automobile accident, will probably be a better driver after the recovery. God has endowed us with the power to profit from the memory of such incidents while forgetting the misery of them. (Read John 16:20-22.)
Wednesday. A broken promise, a betrayed trust, a frustrated hope—a broken heart. We are glad that disappointments dissolve in the solution of time. Time is a great physician in healing a broken heart. Past disappointments fade from memory in the presence of renewed hope for the future. (Read Hebrews 6:13-20.)
Thursday. John Mark, a companion of Paul on his first missionary tour, returned to Jerusalem for some unknown reason half-way through the tour. Consequently, Paul refused his assistance on his second missionary journey, but later we find Mark again helping Paul evangelize in the Roman world. We too must try again to succeed where we have fallen short before; we must forget past failure. (Read Acts 13:4-5; 13:13; 15:36-40; 2 Timothy 4:11.)
Friday. Forget pass success; don’t be a parasite that lives on the laurels of the past. There is no such thing as a “one-time” Christian’s earning heaven yesterday. Life is not an easy game to play, and we must be faithful until death to receive the crown of life. (Read Revelation 2:10.)
Saturday. If we can learn to forget, we will have learned to forgive as well. Forgetting the sins of others against us means we first forgive the ones who have sinned against us. And God is our example; he remembers no more the iniquities of those who seek his forgiveness by obedience to his will. (Read Luke 23:34.)
Virgil Warren, Straight, February 25, 1968, p13 christir.org