When I was a teen, I did something really stupid. At a fourth of July celebration in a nearby town, I was with a group of friends and we had several packs of those small fire crackers. I can’t even tell you how it happened but I lit three or four of them (fire crackers not packs) and didn’t get them out of my hand before they went off. Well praise God I didn’t get burned but my hand was numb for a week or more. Like kids sometimes do, I kept quiet to see what would happen before I told my parents. After a while, the feeling in my hand came back. Praise God, but it was a secret I always kept from my parents.
One thing we all have in common is that we make mistakes; small mistakes, big mistakes and life altering mistakes. How many times have we wished we could take them back or have a do-over? I have made mistakes in my checkbook and quickly fixed them. Last Fall, I put all the pumpkin pie filling ingredients in my blender and plugged it in before putting the lid on. Well somehow the switch got bumped and it was in the on position. What a mess! There was orange pie filling all over me, my kitchen wall, counter and cabinet. I just had to laugh at it, it was an incredible sight. I even texted a picture to my grown children, I figured they needed a laugh too!
Some mistakes create unnecessary work or put a financial burden on us. More serious mistakes, can cost us relationships or even our very life. I have learned through the school of hard knocks that many mistakes can be prevented by thinking and even praying before impulsively doing something. Here are a few ways us humans handle mistakes.
1.) Correct them immediately 2.) Laugh at them and clean them up 3.) Quickly, ask for forgiveness. 4.) Bury the truth of our mistake and keep it a secret 4.) Deny that it ever happened-taking no responsibility. I ask you to consider these responses. Which ones release the guilt, corrects the problem and frees a person from anger and consequences immediately?
I have a friend who has always said, “Secrets make you sick!” In the fire cracker instance, if I had damaged my hand, by waiting a week or two to tell my parents, I may have incurred permanent injury. By confessing my mistake immediately, maybe I could have got medical attention that would have helped. Secrets can make us sick, physically, mentally and spiritually. We may not have to tell the whole world about what we did, but we sure need to tell God in prayer and let Him direct us.
I saw this tee shirt that said, “If you bring up my past, you should know that Jesus dropped the charges!” I loved that; you know why? Because the Lord, the way-maker loves the mistake-maker!
John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world (the mistake-makers), but to save the world through Him.
So many times, John 3:16 is quoted without John 3:17. I don’t understand why, it’s like telling only part of the story. God loves us so much He does not want anyone to perish as written in 2 Peter 3:9, but there again, He gives us a choice. We have free will to accept or reject Him.
For me there is great comfort in knowing that everyone makes mistakes and that there is forgiveness in Jesus Christ. My advice: Be able to laugh at yourself, correct things immediately, ask the Lord and others for forgiveness right away, and most importantly; think first and even pray before acting impulsively.
Hey not all mistakes have bad outcomes. Often, we learn valuable lessons from them. Also, many incredible things have been invented from goofy blunders. God can turn things around. Read Romans 8:28.
Prayer
Lord, you are the way-maker that loves this mistake-maker. Forgive me Lord and help me find my way out of my messes. Help me learn from them and even allow some good to come from them. Help me see myself as you see me and help me forgive myself. Lord, please make a way for others to forgive me too. Please take away any impulsive spirit in me and help me walk in patience and kindness. Help me forgive others as you have forgiven me. Thank you, Lord, for the gift of laughter. It feels so good to be able to laugh instead of lose my peace over my goofy blunders. May I see the good, the funny, and the many opportunities you provide through every experience of my life. You are a blessing to me Lord. Thank you, Lord, In Jesus’ name amen.
God Bless
Sally
