Forgiveness

Dan Allender: "The only way for the 'forgive-and-forget mentality' to be practiced is through radical denial, deception, or pretense."

If we can't forget, how are we healed?

An exercise of wisdom, from a wise woman ...

"Let's imagine on the floor between us is a big wooden crate. I want you to think about your relationship ... Start from the beginning. Start with the first time you met ... and then your dating ... Think deeply about any way that he hurt you during that time ... Put them all in the crate ... Now pretend you have a hammer and very large nails. Nail the lid on the box ... drap, pull, push or shove this crate up the hill to the Cross of Calvary. Put a rope around it if you need to. Place it at the foot of the cross ... Pray now and tell Jesys you give Him all these hurts as a gift - a lifetime of hurts ... Every time Satan tempts you to take the lid off and begin reliving the hurts, remind him it is in the box and you gave it all to Jesus." - Muriel

I think I get stuck in the world's mentality of if you're going to forgive, forget about it. But, there is so much ... and things arise and I cannot forget about it. But, when it arises in my mind, if I can be confident in my knowledge that I am free of these things because I have placed them at the cross, then that's the end of it. It is in His hands and he is faithful and trustworthy and always has my best interests at heart.

I can visualize this wooden crate, sitting on a grassy hill, at the foot of the cross, and it is not mine to take back. He has taken it, willingly and lovingly. He will comfort, restore and re-equip me to bring him all the glory.