What if I would have done what God told me to when he told me to? Life may have been different. I would have made healthier choices in high school, chose different friends and made better grades. I would have attended college immediately after high school instead of eight years later. Since I was a preacher’s kid, I could have attended one of our denomination’s colleges free of charge. That would have saved ten years of loan payments.
My “what ifs” could fill a book. Peter had a few himself. But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway (Mark 14:68).
Jesus had been betrayed, arrested and was on his way to be tried by the Jewish high court and the Roman ruler. Peter followed at a distance but finally found his way into the courtyard. When questioned about his association with Jesus, he denied it three times. A rooster and Jesus’ glance both reminded him about what might have been.
We normally call “what ifs” regrets, mistakes or bad decisions. Everyone has them. Some we can change. Others we shouldn’t try to-they are destined to remain part of our life history. Had Peter wallowed in regret, he would have returned to his old profession-which he did temporarily, with the attitude of “I failed. I’m destined for a life of misery.”
Instead, Peter let the past be the past. When Jesus issued him a chance for redemption, he took it and became one of the most successful early apostles. Some “what ifs” may define us but they don’t have to imprison us. Let God turn your “what if” into “what next?”
Prayer: Merciful Jesus, enable us to let You be the God of our bright future instead of our dark past.
Oh how I would love to go back and make certain changes especially when I made bad decisions.
ReplyDeleteLife must go one, the past is past and today is the day the Lord has made. I will rejoice because He has chosen to bless me anyway.
Love it...The what's next is a great way to look at it.
ReplyDeleteOh, so true! Most 'what ifs' really need to be put in God's hands and left alone! The best we can do with any regrets in our lives is to learn from them! Thank the Lord, He is gracious and forgiving and whatever decisions we've made in the past, we can move ahead and be closer to God because of them! Have a blessed weekend!
ReplyDeleteIn His Lo♥e, Ann
Great post. Looking forward instead of back is always a struggle for me, but its such an important point to make. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteLike this post a lot, Martin. I like the thought of what ifs turning into what’s next. Thanks, as always, for sharing on B&BB. I pray you continue to turn your what ifs into what’s nexts…and I pray you soon find out what’s next. I’m writing this on a train from Budapest, Hungary to Zagreb, Croatia. I don’t have internet, but I opened up your blog post before the trip so I could read it while traveling. And I’ll paste my comment into a comment box when we arrive. So I’m reading your blog across the globe!
ReplyDeleteExcellent post with advice that never goes out of date. Sometimes our regrets seem so huge, we think we cannot get past them. I love sunrise, as it says to me, "this is a brand new chance". Blessings.
ReplyDeleteAgreeing with Lynn! This is 'forever' good advice! It is amazing how the Lord can use our mistakes to free us , but it sure would have been so much easier to have trusted Him more in the beginning :)Please continue sharing at DeepRootsAtHome! Love your blog <3
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