“Your mistakes may define your past, but they don’t have to define your present.”

A thought by Mark Batterson (2011-01-18) in his book, Soulprint: Discovering Your Divine Destiny (p. 140). Multnomah Books. Kindle Edition.

We each one have made them, haven’t we? I went through what I call my three year jerk time quite a few years back. I totally put what I wanted first over my family but God bought me out of that time and forgave me. I am so glad that I am not defined by that time in my life.

One way it does define us is when we relive the mistake over and over and never forgive ourselves. That mistake can hold us emotionally captive but it only does that if we don’t let it go. There is no do over. If there is a confession to be made or a restitution to be done then confess and do whatever needs to be done then it is over. We cannot do any more than that about it except to learn from it.

The key is to not make the same mistake in the present. If you keep doing it then you will be defined by it but if you learn from your mistake and not do it again then you will be better for it. Just because I was a self-centered jerk 20 years ago doesn’t mean that I need to be today. I can use that time as a way to show how Christ forgave me and how I got out of it and changed. It is an example of God’s goodness and grace toward me.

Remember your past is past. Learn from it and then let it go.

So how are you doing?

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