Painful memories tend to hide in the recesses of our minds, seemingly waiting for the prime opportunity to resurface and cast us back into the depths of hurt and shame. Even as God removes our transgressions as far as the east is from the west, and keeps in perfect peace those who trust Him, unwanted memories sometimes sweep in uninvited. It’s as if ominous storm clouds suddenly appear on our sunshine-filled lives, and rain down assaults of guilt, fear, and sadness.
Lord, I need You to take all of my painful memories and remove them for good. I’m asking for a supernatural work from Your Spirit, erasing the hurtful details that keep my mind bound and my heart crushed. Please, Lord, ease the intensity of my past transgressions and the transgressions committed against me.
Prayer To Forget The Past
In the Name of the Father,
and the Son,
and the Holy Spirit.
Amen.
Let us praise our God in veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary,
our Mother and Protector.
O Almighty and merciful God!
You have given the Church a wondrous help and defense
in the most holy Virgin Mary
and You have honored Her sacred image as the Black Madonna
with remarkable veneration of the faithful.
Grant in Your mercy that, under Her protection,
we may struggle confidently throughout our lives
and at the moment of death be victorious over our enemy.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
O Black Madonna, our Mother and Queen of our nation!
Trusting in Your maternal goodness
and powerful intercession with Your Son,
we place before You our humble prayers and petitions.
To You we commend all our needs, in particular
[Mention your need(s) here…],
our families, and all children of our nation.
V: For Your presence and intercession
at the Shrine of the Black Madonna
and for the countless graces
You have obtained for us in the past,
R: We thank you, O Black Madonna, our Mother.
V: For Your gracious reign over our parish,
for Your powerful help throughout our history,
especially in times of difficulty and suffering,
R: We thank you, O Black Madonna, our Mother.
V: For the maternal care with which You ever surround us,
leading us to Your Beloved son,
strengthening the faith in our hearts,
drawing sinners to conversion,
and comforting the sick,
However, no matter how painful our memories are, they are only recollections of things past—things that have no bearing on who we are in Christ Jesus. Though they try to define us, or even condemn us, we know, without a doubt, that we’ve been redeemed once and for all by the blood of the Lamb.
Prayer To Forget Someone
“From this day on, I no longer have a daughter.” His words sank, deep like pebbles to the bottom of a pool.
There are things I wish I could forget.
Words flung out like spears, trying to pin me to the wall.
Looks that shot daggers and pierced my heart.
Promises broken and dreams shattered.
These memories I carry deep within. I wish I could forget. But I can’t erase the memories that are seared on my brain, as much a part of me as the happy memories that taunt me with their impossibility of being relived.
So I do the only thing I can. I come to the throneroom of God, and ask Him to help.
I wrote this prayer for you, friend, and for me, and for everyone who lives with memories they’d rather forget.
A Prayer for When You Can’t Forget the Pain
Oh Lord, the One who is a Father to the fatherless, You see my pain and You know my grief. You bore all these sins before they even happened, and not a wound was inflicted without striking pain in Your heart as well.
There are memories I don’t want to relive, but I can’t shrug them off either. They pounce on me when I least suspect it, and the weight of the emotions threatens to undo me. Father God, hear my desperate plea. I need You, oh I need You.
You promise to make everything beautiful in its time, and I wish that time were right now, but in the in-between, would you carry me in Your arms? Hold me close to Your heart. Let me rest my head on Your shoulder, as a lamb carried by her Shepherd.
Hold me when the grief seems to overwhelm me, like waves crashing into me. Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I. You are my refuge. My strong tower. My shelter in the midst of the storm. In You I am safe, not only from the past, but from haunting memories as well.
I can’t forget, but You can heal. You can bring life out of ashes, and I’m asking for nothing short of a miracle here. Heal these wounds, Lord, but leave the scars. I want to always remember Your goodness, Your healing, and Your restoration. I want to be able to look back on what was and see what you are doing. You promise that You’re doing a new thing in me; help me believe that and fix my gaze forward instead of dwelling on what was in the past. Help me to entrust the past to You and to step forward into the future that You’re fashioning for me.
You will be faithful to complete this good work that You started in me, and I can’t wait to see how You’ll do it!
I love You, Lord.
Amen
