Have you ever done something in
your life, and instantly you knew there was no turning back and you made the
wrong decision.
I recently had a friend make a decision that changed her course on
life and at first I thought it was a big mistake. It's simply amazing how
we make decisions and they can be perceived in many different ways.
Right. Wrong. Indifferent.
It made me think about some of the things I felt that I have done
correctly or wrongly over the course of my life. Sure, I haven't made any
HUGE mistakes that I regret, but I often wonder if God is up there watching our
Game Show life... screaming "Pick Curtain A, Pick Curtain A."
Only for us to choose curtain B.
I know we have a choice - free will and most of us learn to make
the better choices by trial by error. Theodore
Roosevelt said, “The only man who never makes a mistake is the man who
never does anything.”
If you
really think about most of the great scriptural leaders and references, many of
them made huge mistakes. I think of
Abraham, Moses, David, and Peter among a few (a few being a lot!)
Like those
who’ve gone before us, we also flee when we are called to stay, we doubt rather
than believe, we commit adultery and often time deny who we are in order that
others may like us.
When I think
of my mistakes, I am often reminded that I am maturing through time, experience
and opportunities. God isn’t finished
with who I am and what I will someday be.
I know many would disagree with me, but personally I don't think I would erase my mistakes even if I could. Why? I know society
says “Failure isn’t an option” but isn’t it what defines us and strengthens us?
Often times
we rush in to “save” our kids from their imperfections or deficiencies. We want them to not struggle or be lacking in
skills, so we “do” it for them. Surly we
don’t want them to struggle but we do want them to experience failure. I tell
people that I want my kids to experience diversity, trials and tribulations and
they look at me as if “you horrible mother.”
But think
about it, we want them to be sufficient, self-supporting and well built. You don’t get a free pass to all of
that. We have to acknowledge that
failure can be good.
When we acknowledge
our failures, confess our sins, and examine why we do things we shouldn't or at the time didn't know were mistakes... we are then able to move
forward, grow and be blessed.
Everyone
makes mistakes and yet God’s love is bigger than them all. I think often we forget that and our fears of
failing consume us. One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your
God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my
righteous right hand.”
No matter how
big or small, mistakes will be there, we just have to stop over dwelling on
them... and stop trying to cover them up. Just know that even when we pick the wrong curtain, God still loves us and he's there... always.
