Forgive and Forget

One of the most challenging teachings of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount is the instruction in Matthew 6:12: “Forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors.” In verses 14-15, Jesus states, “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” How can we forgive and forget when someone has hurt us?

An article in National Geographic titled “Why Learning to Forget Is an Underrated Skill” included this statement: “We start to forget as soon as we begin to remember – and this is a good thing.” Forgetting prevents our minds from being overwhelmed with useless information or emotionally painful memories. It turns out we have surprisingly good control over what we choose not to remember.

God has designed our brains to forgive and forget. Jesus knew that forgetting is essential for good mental health. It’s hard for us to understand how God can forget our sins, but God is the Creator and is perfect. Our imperfections make it difficult for us to do what Jesus calls us to do.

The design of our brains demonstrates God’s incredible creative wisdom. We need to remember useful information. For example, we avoid grabbing something hot because past experience shows it will hurt. We can forget the pain of a broken heart when falling in love again. We can work on forgetting what someone did by choosing not to dwell on the pain. Research shows that letting go of bad experiences is crucial to our well-being.

Forgive and forget go hand in hand. Jesus understood what gives us greater stability in life. How much less stress would we have if we simply followed His teachings?

— John N. Clayton © 2025

Reference: “Why Learning to Forget Is An Underrated Skill” in the December 2025 issue of National Geographic, pages 102-103, and nationalgeographic.com