If only I would have… If only I wouldn’t have…
Ever wish life included a replay button? One that would not only let you review what happened, but give you an opportunity to redo it? Well, I know something better.
When sin entered the world, all of life became a story of redemption. Everyone born now bears the distinguishing mark of a sinner (Romans 3:23). We cannot live without messing up. We mess up in our relationships, our work, our pleasures. We make lousy decisions. All our attempts at being our own fixer-uppers fail. We view our past mistakes as immovable as blocks of concrete.
I’m glad the story of the Prodigal Son exposes that lie (Luke 15). Jesus told this parable to show that there is always room back at the table. Life cannot be redone . . . but it can be redeemed. Redemption has the power to “buy back” what we lost and declare a new beginning.
So don’t waste your time wishing you could undo your mistakes. Or redo your life for that matter. Just as the prodigal son laid all his wrongdoings before his father, so you too can take your failures, fears, and fiascos to your Redeemer. He can bring good out of the worst of your sins. You have a story to tell and your redeemed mess-ups are an integral part of it.
It’s time to shake off your chains of regret. You are not who you were. Live now in the freedom of redemption in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Father, thank you for redeeming our lives, for welcoming us back home after every wrong turn. Please help us not wallow in our past mistakes, but release them to you with the assurance that our Redeemer lives!
Throughout the Day: When past mistakes come to mind today, choose not to dwell on them. Intentionally release them to God and trust him to somehow, someway, turn them into something good for his glory.