Saved from the Dumpster

January 16, 2023

We’ve all made mistakes, lots of them. Oh boy, I’ve made some doozies! I try to learn from them, and not make the same mistake twice. (I often do.)

If you had it to do over again, would you avoid those pitfalls? Probably not. We could try, but we make decisions with the information we know at the time, whether it’s facts or habits or emotions. You really can’t go back. There’s no ‘time machine.’

And if we could go back, we realize that changing one thing in the past would have other unforeseen consequences. Our good and bad decisions combine with life situations to make us what we are today. Each of us is different. Still, we wish we could have avoided the pain to ourselves and others.

Though some of our past may be painful, good can come from it. It’s called “redemption.” You know what redemption is, don’t you? Years ago, we used to be able to return empty soda bottles to the grocery store for redemption, a few cents. Even though the bottles were empty and not entirely clean, they could be redeemed for something of value.

God can use your history, good and bad. Because of your unique past, there are some people only you can get through to with the message of God’s love. “There is a redeemer. Look what God did in my life. He can do it in yours, too.”

Isaiah 64:8: “But now, O Lord, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand.”