Forgetting and Being Fruitful

And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house. And the name of the second called he Ephraim: For God hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction. Genesis 41:51-52 (KJV)

The name Manasseh means forgetting. Ephraim means fruitful. It is interesting that Joseph chose these two names for his sons. We can understand the connection between forgetting and being fruitful. We also see this in Philippians 3.

Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 (KJV)

Joseph and Paul both understood a key to fruitfulness is forgetting the pain and problems of the past. Many things we have been through have been hard and where we came from may have been rough, but God will cause us to forget it by giving us a good future. God is good and will do us good, causing us to forget those things that were hard for us and hard on us. He gives us joy to forget the pain. In forgetting how hard things have been, God will cause us to be fruitful for Him. He does this so we can fulfill His plan for our lives. He helps us to heal from the past so we can be fruitful in the future.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. Psalm 34:19 (KJV)

This is a guarantee of better days ahead. God has better, bigger, and brighter things for us. As we forget those past hurts and hardships, what once held us back will hold us back no more. We must trust that God will lift us up and cause us to be fruitful once again. He takes us from affliction to fruitfulness- as long as we choose to forget what is past. Truly we will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. We will rule in this life, victorious over the past, present, and future.

Like most people, I have had my share of hurtful events and bad breaks. However, God has helped me forget my yesterdays to move on to brighter days ahead. God is saying that our best days are before us. We will be more fruitful in the coming days.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. II Corinthians 4:17 (KJV)

We are not subject to the times, but the times are subject to us, for God is with us and for us. Forget and be fruitful!