He Forgets, But I Can't

Read 2 Peter 1:5-9

Context: Continuation from yesterday, where Peter told us that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness.

Text:

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

Do you ever forget that you have been cleansed from your sins? Satan will go out of his way to make you think it isn't true. Late at night, when you can't sleep, he'll whisper into your ear things like, "I can't believe you did THAT!" or, "Surely you are bad to the core, look at all you've done," or even, "How could he forgive you for THAT?"

When we ask for forgiveness with a humble, repentant heart, God has promised that he will forgive and forget...as far as the east is from the west. But he doesn't take our memory away. He doesn't want us to dwell, or even revel, in our misdeeds, but he does want us to remember what we are capable of and how far we'd fallen before we let him pick us up. After all, how can we live and learn if we never remember the life lessons?

He wants us to remember, but not to be haunted by the memory. Next time Satan wants you to wallow in your past, just thank him for reminding you how great God is!