Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven. Just because you are a Christian, it does not mean that everything you say and do will be ideal. We will make mistakes; there will be some decisions we make that we will instantly wish could be undone! Sometimes, we refer to ourselves as practicing Christians. That is exactly what we are, practicing! The more we practice, the better we should get. We will not be perfect until we arrive at the place that Jesus is preparing for us.
The first thing we have to realise is that it is perfectly normal for us to make mistakes. Think for a moment of some of the great characters in the Bible, not one of them (apart from Christ) was perfect. David, Samson Peter, and Moses are some of the great heroes of faith; even they got it wrong at times.
Having established that it is o.k. to make mistakes, what do we do next?
Firstly, we admit that we got it wrong,
Secondly we ask forgiveness of God and, if applicable, of those who were hurt by our mistake.
Thirdly, we put it right!
Fourthly, we learn from our mistakes.
It is not easy to admit that we have made a mistake, our pride gets in the way, we do not want others to know what we have done and so we put it off and try and forget it. Believe me, if you take this approach the one thing you will not be able to do is forget! It helps when we confess where we have made a mistake. You will probably be amazed at the amount of support you receive from those who you thought would judge you. They have been where you are now!
During the periods that I have been a key worker to homeless men and women I have seen the results of not admitting a mistake. I have seen the destructive effect that it has on their lives. Their whole life has fallen apart because they have ignored the issue facing them. Instead of taking action to rectify what is wrong they have drifted and ignored the warning signs. This has led to other complications and suddenly they are faced with a major problem that will not go away. This can result in the breakdown of a marriage, losing their home, or relying on chemical help or alcohol to blot out the issue. After a period of life in a hostel, some do realise their mistakes and begin the painful process of facing up to it and putting it right.
In talking to some of the hostel's residents, I have had to say 'stop, this is where you went wrong, what are you going to do about it'? This was not an easy option on my part. I was quite literally forcing them to face their fears. This method is very confrontational and is not recommended unless you are 100% confident that you can handle what comes immediately after you have uttered that sentence! Some will react in a positive way; others will continue to rely on drugs and booze.
Before you cry out in protest and say it could never happen to me because I'm a Christian it can! In my last position I worked with homeless Christians, we are not exempt nor do we have some divine immunity from facing the consequences of our mistakes.
When you buy some piece of equipment such as a camera, computer or washing machine you are immediately offered a warranty. This is supposed to give you peace of mind if something goes wrong with your new purchase. But, it comes at a cost!
I cannot offer you a warranty that will cover you for mistakes you make! What I can offer if things go wrong is the love and understanding of a patient and loving God. He understands that we make mistakes and is willing to listen and to show us how to put things right. All we have to do is realise our error and be sincere in admitting that mistake.
The cost of this peace of mind has already been paid - at Calvary.
God does walk side by side with us, but when we are in trouble He will take the burden on himself and carry us.
