Forget it, and never forget

Can we intentionally forget something?

I know for certain I can forget things without the slightest bit of intention! It happens every day. But I also know that when I really need to, I can set my mind so purposefully that I won’t forget what’s most important.

Take travel, for instance. When we’re flying with the kids, I’m on my game. Passports and ID in a zipped pocket with boarding passes. Snacks and waterbottles within reach. Electronics charged.

I can focus my mind so that I won’t forget.

I never forget the things I know I can’t live without.

But does it work the other way around?

Can I be just as intentionally TO forget something? Or perhaps the question you’re asking, Why would I want to do that in the first place?

I was struck last week by a simple sentence in Hebrews 10:

I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.

Heb 10:17

I tend to associate forgetfulness with a loss of brain function. Like, anything that’s forgotten is an indication of mental deterioration. But clearly God’s not choosing to be dumber. He’s not deteriorating in the slightest.

He’s choosing to forget what has already been forgiven.

Can we do that?

I’m really asking the question. Do you think that we, who are made in the image of God, can intentionally choose to forget what has already been forgiven? What do you think?

I think we can try. I think we might be surprised how effective our brains are at losing sight of whatever we refuse to give attention to.

Whatever you ignore, you forget.

When Paul exhorts us, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things,” he’s giving us a powerful way to rewire our brains and intentionally focus our attention.

All that rotten, corrupt, twisted, perverse, base stuff out there? Forget it.

In my journal yesterday I wrote, “What do I do with the stuff that drives me crazy?

It was a real question.

And I know I’m walking a fine line here and I’m not saying you just ignore stuff.

But I am saying, maybe just a little bit: Ignore stuff. *smile*

I’m saying that it probably wouldn’t hurt to exercise our made-in-God’s-image-ness and follow His example and practice refusing to call to mind those things that have already been covered by the blood of Jesus. Those things that aren’t excellent and praiseworthy.

Strangely enough, I have found that I can intentionally ignore the things in my house that drive me crazy, and that over time, they don’t bother me anymore.

But again, our minds aren’t a vacuum. I must replace all that discouraging data with other data:

If we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sin, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries.

Heb. 10:26-27

That’s a terrifying verse, and I certainly don’t know how all this works. But do know that if I KNOW a truth, but intentionally ignore it, so that I can live however I want…I’m in danger.

Lord, help us REMEMBER TRUTH. Help us seek truth and cherish it and hold fast to it and NEVER FORGET what has been revealed to us, by Your grace. Let us lose the hyper-focus on all that makes us miserable and help us hyper-focus on all that YOU HAVE DONE for us.

I wonder what all our brains are capable of, as we yield them fully to God’s commands. It’s clear that “suppressing truth” (intentionally ignoring) leads to delusion, deception, and darkening (Romans 1). Then it seems to follow that focusing, with all our attention, on the truth of God, might help our minds more than anything.

Father, turn our eyes off worthless things, keep us from revisiting whatever would be best forgotten. Guide us into your truth and help us never forget who You are. {Thanks for reading.}