Memories

I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Jeremiah 31:34).

Memories—they can be a source of joy. Empty nesters fondly recall the days when children filled their homes with laughter and excitement. Workers stuck behind a desk remember days of athletic greatness back in high school. Bed-ridden seniors in nursing homes find comfort in their memories of days filled with the adventure of life.

But not all memories are wonderful. Sometimes the past haunts us. Some adults are troubled with memories of childhood abuse. There are women who are afraid of intimacy because of past betrayal. There are men who worry about every dime because they went through a period of economic hardship.

Memories can fade with time. Memories can be stolen by diseases of the mind or suppressed because they are too painful to recall. Many people speak of "the good old days", but they are dealing with selective memory—they snuggle up to pleasant recollections and conveniently forget about the hardships they endured back then.

Unlike us, God does not forget. Everything we’ve done wrong is written down in a book that details our lives. When Jesus returns to judge the world, each of our books will be opened and we will be treated according to what’s written inside.

Thankfully, God makes this wonderful promise: I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. He does this through Christ, who suffered the punishment for our evil thoughts, careless words and hurtful behavior. Jesus has the authority to say friend, your sins are forgiven (Luke 5:20). And when the Savior speaks those words, the bad things written in your book are erased. God forgets the mistakes that stain your past; all He remembers are the good things of your life.

For us, getting rid of unpleasant memories isn’t so easy. But if you tell Jesus that you’re sorry and ask Him to make right what you’ve messed up, you can be freed from the chains of guilt. Your unpleasant memories might not go away—after all, God wants you to learn from your mistakes. But with the Lord’s forgiveness, your recollection of the past can become a thing of joy instead of pain.