Live, Learn, Leave

I was talking with a guy recently about some things that were happening in his life. He was telling me about some very bad decisions he had made and what the outcome of them had been. He is a very smart guy. He knows what the Bible has to say about his situation, and he knows what he did was wrong. So he came to see me to figure out what to do next. He said, "I need to read a book or something." I laughed out loud.

As we talked along and I asked him some questions, he made an interesting statement regarding his life and where he was headed now. He was trying to determine how to move on from his mistakes. He said, "I guess there's nothing I can do about what happened. I mean, I lived it."

My response was quick and concise (and I'm convinced it was from God). I told him that he had lived it now he must learn from it and leave it. While it's true we can't go back and undo the past, it is also true that we can, and should, learn from it and then move on with what we have learned.

So What?

You lived it, now learn from it, and leave it. What is there in your past that has kept you down and left you feeling guilty and ashamed? Learn from it and leave it behind. God can use that in your life and maybe even in the life of someone else. He never intended you to live in guilt. While you will have to deal with the consequences of your decisions, live it, learn from it, then leave it. You will find God's Best waiting for you.