Oh, to live our lives over again!

If you could live your life over again … would you? … could you? I believe that no one escapes the heart wrenching thought process, as they get older, of past mistakes. Mistakes that were just simply dumb in the first place; mistakes that would not have been made if we had just listened to those around us; mistakes that we would have not made if we had sought the advice from wiser, more experienced individuals; mistakes that would not have been made if we had taken the time to think through all of the options available to us … been there … done that!

Our intentions have always been good. Filled with well meaning jesters for the future of all involved. And yet, they have been misunderstood … misinterpreted … judged unfairly … dismissed … stamped DOA … and we have received the blame, criticism and we are no better for it.

What you say, what you actually said, what you think you said, what I heard, what I think I heard and what I actually heard are all different. That is the reality of a dialogue. Sorting through all the various layers is challenging. It is a task that is very beneficial if undertaken, but few people are willing to take the time or make the effort to bring it off. It would appear that we just plow through all the verbiage, arrive at our own conclusion and move on. It is only when we look back, evaluating the events, actions and words that we begin to wish that we could go back to live that moment again.

And yet, even within the context of our mistake filled lives God is still gracious and forgiving. I take great solace in that God still was able to use individuals like Abraham, David, Paul and Peter … individuals of great influence and power, but whose lives were just one mistake after another. They operated from a self-centered, desire driven mentality … like most of us … and God still was able to use them.

If they could have looked back on their lives I am sure that they would have exclaimed, “Wow, God took all that garage that I had made of my life and turned it around for the good.” And so He does. As a seminary professor of mine, Dr. Bill Mallard, was found of saying … God looks at our lives, shakes his head in disbelief, but says: “I can work with that” and, miracle of miracles, he does in unusual and unbelievable ways. Miracle of miracles, God takes whatever we offer him – that is the key – and turns it to good for the Kingdom.

We don’t need to live our lives over again … and we don’t need to hang our heads in shame or regret … we just need to offer him whatever we are and allow him to work his miracle through us and in spite of us.

Quote for today: There is one redeeming thing about a mistake. It proves that somebody stopped talking long enough at least to do something. ~Irving Wallace