“Satan will try to make us believe that our sins are not
forgiven because we can remember them. Satan is a liar; he tries to blur our
vision and lead us away from the path of repentance and forgiveness. God did
not promise that we would not remember our sins. Remembering will help us avoid
making the same mistakes again. But if we stay true and faithful, the memory of
our sins will be softened over time. This will be part of the needed healing
and sanctification process. Alma testified that after he cried out to Jesus for
mercy, he could still remember his sins, but the memory of his sins no longer
distressed and tortured him, because he knew he had been forgiven (see Alma
36:17–19).
“It is our responsibility to avoid anything that would bring
back old sinful memories. When we continue to have a ‘broken heart and a
contrite spirit’ (3 Nephi 12:19), we may trust that God will ‘remember [our
sins] no more’ [D&C 58:42]” (“Point of Safe Return,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2007, 101).
