Friday, April 23, 2010

Decisions & Consequences - Part V

Overcoming a Bad Decision - a Mistake


How does one overcome a bad decision? I don't know that I have a definitive answer, but I do know that we have to continue to move forward, even if it's just one step at a time.

The obvious thing is to 'repent' - which just means to change the way you think about it. How does this play out when we make a mistake?

We first have to acknowledge we made the mistake, and prepare ourselves to understand how this wrong direction is going to affect our future. Three and a half years ago, I made a 'mistake' in ministry - one that had a profound effect on my life - and now has totally changed my life's direction.


Which is why I say I don't have a definitive answer. The first thing I did was to throw myself into God's arms and ask Him to show me what was it in me, and my life that caused this 'mistake' to occur. I was totally broken.

I remember hearing a story once about how a shepherd will take a wandering sheep and deliberately break it's leg, then carry it around on his shoulders until it's leg is healed. After that, the sheep doesn't ever wander off again. That's what happened to my heart. It was totally broken, and the Good Shepherd carried me on His shoulders for three months until I healed enough for me to consider going His direction for me - not my direction for me.


In fact, I was so broken, when Jesus took me off His shoulders and set me on the ground again, I wasn't moving at all - until He gently put me in the direction of "chocolate." I still remember that experience - and I'm still very cautious - even though that I know that I'm never going to get anywhere unless I step out in faith. Because I'm afraid to make a mistake now. But nevertheless, I still step out.

Which is what I did again today. I stepped out and started another blog, a place to put all my book reviews, so that this space can be totally for the things I feel God is showing me. I'm going to be speaking to issues and points of view that we need to be thinking about as Christians today.

Blessings to you.

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