Have you ever done something and realized (sometimes
immediately) that you made the wrong decision? Most probably you have, I think
it is part of being human.
Sometimes the bad decisions are obvious, glaring things that
stand out for all to see, sometimes, they are things of which only you are
aware.
I started thinking about this when I read an article that
told that bubble pack was originally marked at wall paper. I honestly can't see
how they ever thought that would work, but then I'm looking at it from a
background that says, "bubble pack is used to pack stuff."
As I do a quick review of my life, I can quickly find many
things that I made the wrong decisions about. Now, I could dwell on those
things and worry about them and let them control my life and make me miserable,
but I'm not going to do that. I choose to focus on the good stuff.
I've known some folks in my life, who have done nothing but
remember their wrong decisions. They worry about them to the point that they
come to believe that they have no worth; no value even to God. How could God
possibly forgive them if they can't forgive themselves?
If you are a fan of the Anne of Green Gables books and
movies, you may remember one scene where Anne comments that "Everyday is
brand new, free of mistakes." What a wonderful concept and one that is so
true.
In 1 John 1: 8-9
we read, "If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not
living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just
to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness."
(NLT)
Honestly, this is my favorite (at least one of them)
scripture in the Bible. In this scripture we find hope when we make the wrong
decisions. We find promise that we can start over fresh with each new day. What
does it take? Admitting we messed up and believing what God says, when he says
he will "cleanse" us.
It seems sometimes that I work overtime at getting it wrong
in my life; I think the wrong things, say the wrong things and do the wrong
things. But our God "is faithful and just to forgive us our sins."
You see, it's God's love that brings us forgiveness when we
get it wrong in life; it's our responsibility to accept that forgiveness and
get on with living for him.
