Mistakes. We all make them. Although, some never like to admit that they did. It's inevitable that we all will make mistakes and also be victims of mistakes made in our lifetime. Whether its burning the pre-cooked pizza until its hard as a rock (true story) or life altering mistakes, we all make them more often than Im sure we would like to. The thing about mistakes is that they cause all sorts of problems. Some aren't as easy as "sweeping it under the carpet". Mistakes are the cause of so many issues. Issues like insecurities, doubt, shame, bitterness, anger, depression, suicidal thoughts; and the list can go on and on. My point is that we sure do give mistakes a lot of credit. Talk to a person with mistakes present in their life and your bound to hear,"what if" quite a bit. They will always wonder what would of happened if... - The pressure that question brings into a persons life can be overwhelming and cause a whole new set of problems. My point in all this, is when we focus so much on what could of been and what should of been, we end up losing ourselves in a cycle of unending torture. I will be the first to admit that there have been many,many times that I have spiritually (and sometimes literally) thrown my hands in the air and said "God, I have no idea what is happening and what you are trying to do!". In my young journey with God, I have come to learn one very important lesson and that is, I CAN NOT FOCUS ON WHAT I CAN NOT CHANGE. It will drive you crazy. If you have made a mistake, yes it was a decision (free-will), and yes, there will be consequences to your mistakes. However, the greatest outcome a person can have from making a mistake is learning from it. If you make mistakes, make excuses, do not take responsibility and then go on and repeat it over and over again...well...then it is no longer a mistake. Learning from something that was negative can bring such a positive outcome. God is a God of justice but He is also loving and merciful.
Victim of mistakes? That too can keep a persons heart captive. Maybe your best friend hurt your feelings or maybe something tragic and life altering happened to you as a child. Whatever the case may be, you must recognize the mistake and not let it take captive of your life. You can not let someone else's mistakes control your life. They say never to let things go unsaid. The same concept applies. So many times people can not recognize their own wounds in their heart because they know nothing else but to be broken. The first step to your freedom is to recognize that you need to be free.
So many times, it's hard for us to utter the words "I don't regret..." but I do know how much freedom those words bring. We must never forget that God is a God of seasons and in each season we grow to know and understand Him more. I pray that if you've allowed a mistake to overtake your life and consume your joy, that you would realize the power of overcoming the burden of a mistake. That you would discover the power of forgiving the mistaker and letting go of the hurt in your heart. Discover, that in spite of your negative feelings towards mistakes, mistakes can be the most powerful tool that God uses to minister to others. We focus so much on ourselves and like I said, what could have been, instead, what if you focused on how your experiences can change the lives of so many people. What if you realized that God has a purpose thru it all? You can make a difference in the lives of so many that need someone who went thru the same mistake.
"Learn from your mistakes, then your mistakes will be worth making" -Author unknown
-Vanessa Cardenas