--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: First, forgive. Second, forget by…" description: "\"First, forgive. Second, forget by choosing not to dwell on that which is forgiven and in the past. We have no right to keep in front of us what God has..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/david-jeremiah-990_baptists_first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing_1857835.jpg" --- # First, forgive. Second, forget by choosing not to dwell on… ![“First, forgive. Second, forget by choosing not to dwell on that which is forgiven and in the past. We have no right to keep in front of us what God has put behind Him.” quote by David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/david-jeremiah-990_baptists_first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing_1857835.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/david-jeremiah-990_baptists_first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing_1857835.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/david-jeremiah-990_baptists_first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing_1857835.jpg) > “First, forgive. Second, forget by choosing not to dwell on that which is forgiven and in the past. We have no right to keep in front of us what God has put behind Him.” [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Forgiving frees you from past grievances, allowing you to move forward without dwelling on what’s already forgiven. **In simple terms:** Forgiveness releases past burdens. Key Takeaway Let go of forgiven hurts. Themes forgiveness spirituality growth release Mood peaceful hopeful Type spiritual self‑help When to use this quote - personal relationships - conflict resolution - spiritual practice - mental health - coaching Key Concepts biblical teaching psychology of forgiveness Questions to Reflect On - What does it feel like to truly let go? - How can you prevent old hurts from resurfacing? A Different Perspective Holding onto past grievances can still cause pain despite forgiveness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baptists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baptists/) [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Don-t-regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-regret/) [Dwell Forgiven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dwell-forgiven-2481631/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forgive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive/) [Forgive and forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-and-forget/) [Forgive Second](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgive-second-1496465/) [Forgiven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiven/) [Forgiven Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiven-past-2481630/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Fronts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fronts/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Past](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/past/) [Pastor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pastor/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [You’re mine, Isabeau. You’ll always be mine. Make no mistake about it. Whether you choose to forgive me and give us a second chance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/you-re-mine-isabeau-you-ll-always-be-mine-make-no-mistake-about-it/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) > [You've never gone too far that God can't redeem you, restore you, forgive you, and give you a second chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/you-ve-never-gone-too-far-that-god-can-t-redeem-you-restore-you/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [“Because I have forgiven my past, and God has forgiven my past, no person can make me denounce my past. It made me who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne/because-i-have-forgiven-my-past-and-god-has-forgiven-my-past-no-2/) [Julie-Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne/) > [“Because I have forgiven my past, and God has forgiven my past, no person on earth can make me denounce my past. It's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-anne/because-i-have-forgiven-my-past-and-god-has-forgiven-my-past-no/) [Julie-Anne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-anne/) > [“I have forgiven the past and forgotten the future to live every second as it clicks.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangoma-kindembo/i-have-forgiven-the-past-and-forgotten-the-future-to-live-every/) [Kangoma Kindembo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangoma-kindembo/) > [I don't regret anything that I ever did. You just look back at things and you either learn from them or get what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mic-geronimo/i-don-t-regret-anything-that-i-ever-did-you-just-look-back-at-things/) [Mic Geronimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mic-geronimo/) > [Don't regret growing older...remember that a lot of sugar is to be found at the bottom of the cup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-simpson/don-t-regret-growing-older-remember-that-a-lot-of-sugar-is-to-be/) [James Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-simpson/) > [Don't regret your life, child, it will pass soon enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/don-t-regret-your-life-child-it-will-pass-soon-enough/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Everyone in life faces obstacles. That's what made me who I am. I don't regret to have been bullied because probably if I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/everyone-in-life-faces-obstacles-that-s-what-made-me-who-i-am-i-don-t/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [I normally don't regret. I enjoy everything, even if it's bad or good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-normally-don-t-regret-i-enjoy-everything-even-if-it-s-bad-or-good/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [Spendin all the money I just worked my ass off for doing things that I won't regret.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drake/spendin-all-the-money-i-just-worked-my-ass-off-for-doing-things-that/) [Drake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drake/) > [Some folks never try to grow beyond lives that have not realized that potential. And as long as they don't regret that, that's fine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-evoy/some-folks-never-try-to-grow-beyond-lives-that-have-not-realized-that/) [Ken Evoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-evoy/) > [And I don't regret the rain Or the nights I felt the pain Or the tears I had to cry Some of those times…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lila-mccann/and-i-don-t-regret-the-rain-or-the-nights-i-felt-the-pain-or-the/) [Lila McCann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lila-mccann/) > [The sports are also hard on my body, and I do have a longstanding bad back due to an injury some years ago. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-halliday/the-sports-are-also-hard-on-my-body-and-i-do-have-a-longstanding-bad/) [Liz Halliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-halliday/) > [Don't be so bitter about a bad experience from your past that you miss the opportunities in front of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/don-t-be-so-bitter-about-a-bad-experience-from-your-past-that-you/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) ## More by David Jeremiah > [What comes to mind when you think of heaven? Heaven is referred to in fifty-four of the Bible's sixty-six books, and the final two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/what-comes-to-mind-when-you-think-of-heaven-heaven-is-referred-to-in/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [All the Christmas presents in the world are worth nothing without the presence of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/all-the-christmas-presents-in-the-world-are-worth-nothing-without-the/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“Love is not about what we feel for others— it’s about what we do for others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/love-is-not-about-what-we-feel-for-others-it-s-about-what-we-do-for/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [Don't let obstacles along the road to eternity shake your confidence in God's promise. The Holy Spirit is God's seal that you will arrive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/don-t-let-obstacles-along-the-road-to-eternity-shake-your-confidence/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [Trust God for the impossible-miracles are His department. Our job is to do our best, letting the Lord do the rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/trust-god-for-the-impossible-miracles-are-his-department-our-job-is/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you already have the Holy Spirit living within you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/if-you-know-jesus-christ-as-your-lord-and-savior-you-already-have-the/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“When you find yourself in need of courage, remember that it is your faith, not your spine, that needs strengthening! And your faith will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/when-you-find-yourself-in-need-of-courage-remember-that-it-is-your/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“PROVE RBS 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/prove-rbs-1-7-the-fear-of-the-lord-is-the-beginning-of-knowledge-but/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [God is no further from you on your worst day than He is on your best day. Just open your heart to receive Him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/god-is-no-further-from-you-on-your-worst-day-than-he-is-on-your-best/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [No circumstance, person, or difficulty can stop the plans and the promises of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/no-circumstance-person-or-difficulty-can-stop-the-plans-and-the/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“A baby is a small member of the home that makes love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, the bank roll smaller, the home happier,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/a-baby-is-a-small-member-of-the-home-that-makes-love-stronger-days/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“God’s past faithfulness and compassion toward us is a heritage upon which we build our faith in the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/god-s-past-faithfulness-and-compassion-toward-us-is-a-heritage-upon/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [“My study of prophecy convinces me that God intends knowledge of future events to help us "occupy" with a sense of urgency until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/my-study-of-prophecy-convinces-me-that-god-intends-knowledge-of/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [Trust is an act of the mind, while obedience is an act of the hands and feet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/trust-is-an-act-of-the-mind-while-obedience-is-an-act-of-the-hands/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [It's also important to develop a burden for the lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/it-s-also-important-to-develop-a-burden-for-the-lost/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) [Explore all 311 David Jeremiah quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) ## More Baptists quotes > [I was overcome by the Holy Ghost one time, but in a Baptist way. I was six or seven, and I was saved. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-was-overcome-by-the-holy-ghost-one-time-but-in-a-baptist-way-i-was/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [I grew up in a Southern Baptist-style church with a choir, a band, and music, but I've been asking myself my whole life, 'Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-grew-up-in-a-southern-baptist-style-church-with-a-choir-a-band-and/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [My family is Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist and Catholic. I don't believe in man-made religions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whoopi-goldberg/my-family-is-jewish-buddhist-baptist-and-catholic-i-don-t-believe-in/) [Whoopi Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whoopi-goldberg/) > [Martha Stewart contributes more to our civility than the Baptist Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-hickey/martha-stewart-contributes-more-to-our-civility-than-the-baptist/) [Dave Hickey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-hickey/) > [If my ruling disposition is self-interest, I perceive that everything that happens to me is always for or against my self-interest; if, on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-my-ruling-disposition-is-self-interest-i-perceive-that-everything/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Christianity has a built-in defense system: anything that questions a belief, no matter how logical the argument is, is the work of Satan by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/christianity-has-a-built-in-defense-system-anything-that-questions-a/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [I grew up in that minority. I grew up in the South, in Roswell, Georgia, and it was heavily white, Baptist, conservative. And the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cross/i-grew-up-in-that-minority-i-grew-up-in-the-south-in-roswell-georgia/) [David Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cross/) > [John the Baptist never performed any miracles. Yet, he was greater than any of the Old Testament prophets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/john-the-baptist-never-performed-any-miracles-yet-he-was-greater-than/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [He's a Catholic, a Hindy, an atheist, a Chein, a Buddhist, a Baptist and a Jew, and he knows, he shouldn't kill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buffy-sainte-marie/he-s-a-catholic-a-hindy-an-atheist-a-chein-a-buddhist-a-baptist-and-a/) [Buffy Sainte-Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buffy-sainte-marie/) > [The biological evolutionary perception of life and of human qualities is radically different from that of traditional religion, whether it's Southern Baptist or Islam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-o-wilson/the-biological-evolutionary-perception-of-life-and-of-human-qualities/) [E. O. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-o-wilson/) > [I was baptized a Baptist, but I'm just Christian, as far as I'm concerned. I could go in any church, doesn't matter if it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/i-was-baptized-a-baptist-but-i-m-just-christian-as-far-as-i-m/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) > [When Jesus stepped into the waters of the Jordan and was baptized by John the Baptist, he did so not because he was in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/when-jesus-stepped-into-the-waters-of-the-jordan-and-was-baptized-by/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [It has never been recommended to confuse "loving" with "seeking to please"... ...Salome pleased Herod's guests; I can hardly believe she was burning with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/it-has-never-been-recommended-to-confuse-loving-with-seeking-to/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [A Roman Catholic worships a god who speaks through the Pope, while a Baptist worships a god who does not. They cannot be worshipping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-hayes/a-roman-catholic-worships-a-god-who-speaks-through-the-pope-while-a/) [Judith Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-hayes/) > [I'm a 48-year-old writer who can remember being a 10-year-old writer and who expects someday to be an 80-year-old writer. I'm also comfortably asocial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-a-48-year-old-writer-who-can-remember-being-a-10-year-old-writer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 283 Baptists quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baptists/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "First, forgive. Second, forget by choosing not to dwell on that which is forgiven and in the past. We have no right to keep in front of us what God has put behind Him.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Jeremiah" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing-not-to-dwell-on-that-which-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Baptists" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing-not-to-dwell-on-that-which-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/david-jeremiah-990_baptists_first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing_1857835.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/david-jeremiah-990_baptists_first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing_1857835.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/14c/david-jeremiah-990_baptists_first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing_1857835.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“First, forgive. Second, forget by choosing not to dwell on that which is forgiven and in the past. We have…” — David Jeremiah", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Jeremiah", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "First, forgive. Second, forget by choosing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing-not-to-dwell-on-that-which-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/first-forgive-second-forget-by-choosing-not-to-dwell-on-that-which-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```