Counting Mistakes

Last fall, I posted an article about mistakes. This is part of what I wrote…

Here are a few things I’ve learned about mistakes:

1) Everyone, and I mean everyone, makes them. No one is perfect, and we all fall short at times.

2) What I learn from my mistakes must guide my future decisions and choices.

3) I can’t let guilt from my mistakes smother my joy in life.

4) If I don’t learn from my mistakes, they can become habits. Most likely bad habits.

5) Sometimes I don’t have the strength of character to make the right decisions on my own. I need help. Choosing the right friends can help me avoid mistakes. And of course, the strength of God’s Spirit makes it possible.

6) I conquer my tendency to make mistakes when I give up what seems fun or exciting to do what is right.

7) There is a difference between an accident and a mistake. If an accident happens more than once, it’s still an accident. But if you make the same mistake more than once, it has become a choice.

In addition, I have recently been reminded of an extremely important fact. Sometimes it’s easy to focus on the mistakes of others and ignore my own. I must make a deliberate effort to count my own mistakes and let other people worry about theirs. When I go to bed each night, I want to be able to say the devil didn’t use me to hurt anyone that day. I pray that I’m a positive influence and role model to others. If I can say that, I guess I’m in fairly good shape.

Thank you, God, for this reminder exactly when I needed it.