How I Can Handle the Mistakes I’ve Made

In review of Colossians 2:14 it say, “[God] canceled the debt, which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross” (NCV).

Today’s verse is Colossians 2:14, In it Paul tells me that He (God) destroyed the record of the debt I owe, with its requirements that worked against me. God canceled it by nailing it to the cross when I accepted Jesus.

The record that was canceled contained the legal demands of the OT Law. The law that opposed us by its demands for payment for our sin. No one can be be saved by merely keeping that record, the moral truths and principles in the OT still teach and guide me today.

I can enjoy a new life in Christ because I have joined him in his death and resurrection. My evil desires, bondage to sin, and love of sin died with him. Now, joining him in his resurrection life, I have unbroken fellowship with God and freedom from my sin. My debt for sin has been paid in full; my sins are swept away and forgotten by God; and I can be clean and new.

We all blow it from time to time. While the Christian life is a guilt-free life, it’s not a mistake-free life.

The Bible never hides this truth. It is painfully honest about the failures of its heroes. God saved the world after a flood through a man named Noah—who then got drunk and naked, and blew it all. Moses led the children of Israel through the Red Sea and into freedom—yet his anger kept him out of the Promised Land. The Bible tells the story of King David, a man after God’s own heart—who then had an affair and arranged the murder of the woman’s husband so he wouldn’t be discovered.

God realizes my frailty. If God only used perfect people, the Bible would be a pretty short book. In fact, he has a solution for my failures; grace.

The Bible says, “[God] canceled the debt, which listed all the rules we failed to follow. He took away that record with its rules and nailed it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14 NCV).

If you look at all those failures in Scripture, you get a clear picture. You and I—just like those heroes of the Bible—are trophies of God’s grace. My primary witness to the world around you isn’t all the great stuff you do for God. It’s how you handle mistakes you’ve made. Do you mope or do you revel in the grace of God?

People want to meet a God who turns failures into triumphs. People want to meet a God who can transform broken lives.

The amazing part of God’s grace isn’t just his power to forgive. It’s the strength he gives me when I start over.

It’s the strength God gives me when I become a trophy of his grace.

Bottom Line:

He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.

What this means to me:

He canceled the unfavorable record of my debts with its binding rules and did away with it completely by nailing it to the cross.

In summary, God destroyed the record of the debt I owe by nailing it to the cross when I accepted Jesus. I now have unbroken fellowship with God and freedom from my sin. While I can now have a guilt-free life from the payment of my sin, it doesn't mean that I won't make mistakes still. The good news is that God realizes my frailty and has a solution for my failures, it's called grace. My primary witness to the world around me isn't all the great stuff I do for God, rather its how I handle mistakes I've made. Will I revel in the grace of God or mope around. Others want to meet a God who turns failures into triumphs, a God who can transform broken lives. God's grace gives me strength when I start over. It's the strength God give me when I become a trophy of his grace.

Father, it’s great to be reminded of your grace, especially in light of mistakes I make. I can’t be perfect and I should stop trying / beating myself up internally when I don’t measure up. I pray this morning Father for some relief in my tension and feelings of not meeting all expectations I put on myself. I ask you for your wisdom and guidance in how I handle my day; my work, my leadership and my interaction with others. These things I pray in your Son Jesus name, amen!