This is the 5th of 6 devotions with the theme from 1 Corinthians 13:7
“Love Is Ever Ready To Believe The Best Of Everyone”
FORGETTING THE BAD / REMEMBERING THE GOOD
by
Rebecca Cooley
(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:7; Philippians 4:6-8)
Have you ever thought that most people have selective intelligence? We learn what we want to learn and remember what we want to remember and forget what we want to forget. We remember what we care about and forget the things that we do not care about. What we remember and forget says a lot about us. We can take an inventory about what we remember and what we forget and determine whether we are selfish or selfless.
It is a reflection of my own selfishness when I tend to not remember someone’s birthday or forget their name or their prayer request. I forget the good things and yet I remember every wrong thing that the person has ever done to me. The things I remember and the things I forget are a reflection of my selfishness.
There is a woman that I am acquainted with that I do not choose to get to know. I don’t care for the way she acts. She is loud and doesn’t use proper grammar when she speaks. And she made fun of something about me personally in front of a group of people. When I see her or think about her, that one negative sentence she spoke is what comes to mind! I have chosen not to find out when her birthday is or send her a card. I have forgotten all about her prayer request and have not given a thought about what she might be going through in her personal life.
I can change my thoughts about this person and I can change the intent of my heart toward her and anyone else that I have entertained negative thoughts about. First, I humble myself and get out of denial. I admit my wrong thinking and ask God to give me grace to love her. When the negative thought comes, I override it with a blessing. I take further action by finding out when she celebrates her birthday or any other day that is special to her. I make an effort to see what her needs are and let her know I care about them. This is the process of developing compassion.
Father, I clear out my selfish bank by forgiving. I forgive and forget the wrongs others have done to me. Develop compassion in me concerning the needs and concerns of others. I want to make an effort to get to know the people I have not chosen to be my friends because of negative things I have stored in my selfish bank. I determine to let people know that I care about them whenever negative thoughts arise. Develop selflessness in me, Lord and love through me.
THESE TWO THINGS
Devotion: Forgetting The Bad / Remembering The Good
(Adapted from 1 Corinthians 13:7; Philippians 4:6-8)
Verse:
I say that I’m forgetful
I’m bad about names
I claim that I’m forgetful about so many things
Then I say that I forgive them,
But I never will forget
Yet my love walk is determined
By just two things
By the thing that I remember
And the things that I forget
Chorus:
Do I forget their birthdays?
Do I forget their names?
Do I forget the prayer requests
That they bring before the saints
Yet I remember every wrong
That they’ve ever done to me yet
My love walk is determined
By these two things
By the thing that I remember
And the things that I forget
Bridge:
Folks don’t care how much we know
Till they know how much we care
May I be aware about them and not me
May I be aware of the important things
WordsAndMusic by KentCliffordCooley
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