Designed for Greatness: A 10-Day Bible Plan for MenSample

The Importance of Remembering

For the one who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. II PETER 1:9 NASB

Although the people closest to us might never forget, we would probably like to forget those times when an anniversary or an important event just happened to slip our minds. We don’t mean to forget important dates and details—but the belated flowers don’t help much.

Moving forward in a relationship is challenging when we drag that kind of weight behind us. It’s also difficult to move forward in our relationship with God when we drag more serious weights behind us. When we ask God for His forgiveness and repent of our sin, He forgives us. But so often we seem to forget that He’s forgiven us for those sins—and we hold on to guilt and shame.

When we forget God’s forgiveness, we insult what He did for us through Jesus’ death on the cross. We say it wasn’t enough for us and that our sin was too much for the blood of Jesus to cover. We pile the guilt on ourselves and stay buried in it—rather than receiving God’s forgiveness and moving forward in victory.

God appointed the apostle Peter to remind us how we must remember that we are forgiven. Peter certainly was no stranger to sin. He denied knowing Jesus three times! Forgetting how he denied Jesus certainly wasn’t easy for Peter. But Jesus forgave him, and accepting and remembering this forgiveness allowed Peter to continue forward as a follower of Jesus. God’s Spirit inspired him to tell us not to forget our forgiveness. God wants to write this truth on our hearts.

We can’t move forward in our relationship with God when we forget that He has forgiven us and what it cost Jesus to give us freedom from the guilt of our past.

PRAYER:

Father, forgive me for so easily forgetting how much You have forgiven me. Thank You that there is nothing left for us to add to Your grace. Help me to receive Your forgiveness, remember it, and move forward in living for You. In Jesus’ name, amen.