How to fix a bad decision

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.

Russ Lawson