I was cooking the other day, a Matthew West song came over the speakers. I was taken back by the concept portrayed. Love keeps no record of wrongs.
Does it sound familiar? “Love is patient..it is not rude, it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no records of wrong…” (1 Corinthians 13:5 NIV84)
If you’re like me the first thing that comes into my head is not holding onto resentment. It so easy to keep a list of the wrongs people have done to us.
However, there is another way we hold on to a list, a list of our own wrongs. I find it’s easier to forgive others than I can forgive myself. If I sat down right now and wrote out every mistake I could remember it would be a doozie of a list.
Love does not keep a record of wrongs.
I think it’s the reason I and so many others are miserable, or freeze up when having to make a decision. We’re reminded of all the mistakes we made, and they hang on to us like the chains of Jacob Marley in Charles Dickens’ book A Christmas Carol.
The rehashing of mistakes and the fear that freezes me to moved forward replaces the calling God has given me to live and to live an abundant life. I also push away from the rich love God has for me.
When I hold onto the list of my wrongs and mistakes tightly, in essence I’m saying, “Your Son’s sacrifice was worthless, and your forgiveness is nothing.” I’m doubting and that is sin. Catherine Marshall in her book The Helper states this:
“He (Jesus)* claimed to be the Savior, to be able to save us from any sin, any bondage, any problems. By disclaiming that with regard to any one of my problems, I am calling Jesus a liar and a charlatan – a fake prophet – as truly as did those who long ago howled for His death before Pilate and who drove in the nails…we think of sin as the breaking of laws, whereas Jesus thinks of sin as being bound. Why would anyone with good will condemn a poor man bound with chains or tied with heavy rope? Would he not rather want to free him?”
When we take our mistakes to God for forgiveness, He forgives and forgets.
See I have another problem that is linked to all this. I can’t tell you how many times, the enemy reminds me of things I have done, and immediately I ask for forgiveness again, and again. I can picture the Father smiling and saying, “What mistake?”
Take a look at some of these verses:
“ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9 NASB)
He removes our sin as far as the east is from the west.” (Psalm 103:11-13 NASB)
A person is blessed when they are forgiven, sins are covered and God doesn’t count it against them (Psalm 103:11-13 NASB)
“…For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34 NIV84 based on the new covenant that was fulfilled through Christ.)
Loving God means keeping no record of our mistakes for this simple fact, He loved us so much that He doesn’t keep a record of them. The list was ripped up when we received Christ as our Savior. Confession is for our benefit. He forgave us at the cross.
It’s time that we forgive ourselves, let go of the past and move forward. It’s not easy but through the work of Holy Spirit it’s possible. If God is love then He keeps no records of our wrongs, so it stands to reason we should not keep a record of our wrongs.
*My emphasis
Solitude with the Father 