Let us begin by intentionally meditating on these foundational words:

• Love: The boundless, unconditional love of God, and how we reflect that love to others.
• Forgiveness: The grace we have received, and the necessity of extending that same grace.
• Repentance: The humility to turn from our past ways and wholeheartedly return to God’s path.

How can you forgive and forget when someone has hurt or wronged you so deeply that it leaves a scar on your heart—especially when it’s someone very close to you who has betrayed or hurt you, or duped and dumped you? (Matthew 5:44).

Let’s look at a divine example from Jesus Christ, our Lord, who had two very close friends among His disciples. One, Peter, denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:61-62), and the other, Judas, betrayed Him to the Pharisees (Luke 22:47-48). Before the world was created, Jesus loved both of them (1 John 4:19) and forgave their sins (Hebrews 8:12, Ephesians 4:32). But could Jesus intervene or forgive if they didn’t seek His grace and mercy, and didn’t realize they had been forgiven and needed to turn to God?

Peter acknowledged his sin against the Father and Jesus Christ. He sought God’s face and pleaded with Jesus for mercy. His denial was forgiven, and he repented, vowing not to deny Jesus again. Instead, he became a witness of Jesus’ teachings and preached the Gospel—Jesus’ message of salvation to all and eternal life. Conversely, Judas, who betrayed Jesus, never understood God’s love for him or that his sins could be forgiven. He did not ask the Father for grace and mercy to repent and turn to God. Instead, he thought of ending his life by hanging himself on a tree (Matthew 27:5), forgetting that cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (Galatians 3:13) and that taking one’s own life is not acceptable in God’s sight. 

From these two men, Peter was justified through grace and by faith, and because of his love for Christ, he repented, preached the Gospel, and fulfilled the purpose Jesus had called him for. Judas, on the other hand, never repented, and because of that, he only fulfilled the desires of the enemy, not God’s purpose for his life.

Before we can forgive others, we must love them with God’s love for us and forgive as the Lord forgives us. Forgetting what they have done depends on their repentance. It’s only when the fruits of genuine repentance are seen in a person that we can truly forget the hurt or wrong they caused, especially when they have completely changed and become new creatures in Christ, walking in the new path Jesus urges us to follow (Matthew 7:13-14).

The principle of “Forgive and Forget” is profoundly rooted in repentance. The commitment to turn away from sin—ceasing evil and wrongdoings. Jesus demonstrated this perfectly when addressing the woman caught in adultery: “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more” (John 8:10-11). The Lord has loved us and forgiven our sins, but our crucial work is to repent and refuse to return to past mistakes. As Proverbs 26:11 warns, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” Embrace the freedom of forgiveness, and commit to the transformation of repentance!

It is much easier to forgive and forget when a person has truly repented.

God loves us and forgives us, but He expects us to repent. He cannot repent for us unless we choose to do so ourselves. God can only repent in certain circumstances—if He regrets giving someone a gift or entrusting them with a responsibility, and they misuse it or turn unfaithful. Such actions may cause God to regret and repent. However, when God repents, it does not mean He has sinned; God is blameless and without blemish, free from sin.

Does God also repent like humans?

Repentance involves two meanings: to regret or to turn to. When we disobey God and realize our sin, we accept our guilt and turn back to Him, seeking His mercy. But if God were to repent, whom would He turn to? No one is above God, and He is the highest God over all.

God is not human, so He does not repent as humans do. Nonetheless, He has repented in certain instances—such as when He regretted creating humans (Genesis 6:6) or making Saul king (1 Samuel 15:11). Still, He will never rescind or change a judgment or decree He has already made.

Prayer: 

Father, be gracious and merciful to me. Whenever I have caused You to regret or grieve, please forgive me—pardon me from my sins. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I humbly ask and pray. Amen!

Bible Verse: 

“And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” Genesis 6:6

“I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.” 1 Samuel 15:11

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,’’ Matthew 5:44

“And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.’’ Luke 22:61-62

“While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” Luke 22:47-48

‘’We love because he first loved us.’’ 1 John 4:19

“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12

‘’And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.’’ Ephesians 4:32

‘’Then he threw down the pieces of silver in the temple and departed, and went and hanged himself.’’ Matthew 27:5

‘’Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” ),’’ Galatians 3:13

“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” Matthew 7:13-14

“Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” John 8:10-11

“As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” Proverbs 26:11

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