Remember to Forget

I am challenged by the example of Dr Sangster, an 18th century preacher, who was writing his Christmas cards with his assistant. When Dr Sangster wrote a card to a man who had publicly criticised him the assistant was puzzled. "Why are you sending card to him?", the assistant asked. "I am remembering to forget" was Sangster's reply.
Similarly, Immanuel Kant the 18th century philosopher was wounded by someone close to him. His faithful servant Kempe, he discovered, was systematically robbing him. On discovering the theft Kant reluctantly sacked his assistant. His diary entry for that evening is telling: "Remember to forget Kempe".
Biblical characters too have an extraordinary ability to remember to forget. Joseph in the Old Testament was abused by his brothers, thrown down a well, sold into slavery, wrongly accused, sent to prison, eventually had a son and named him: Manassah which means "God has made me forget".
All of us have bad memories of those who harmed us, but with God's grace we can remember to forget the power of those toxic events and memories.