Scripture says that Noah was a righteous man among all the world’s population. Only he and his family were saved when the flood came and annihilated everyone else. Because he was so devout to God, he did not need a do over. He did not need to reflect back in regret for what his life was like before the flood.
This is not the case for some of the other most famous men in the Bible. We revere them and honor them for how they allowed God to use their lives for his purpose. However, even these men had a bump in the road and wished they could’ve had a do over for themselves. Moses was God’s man in leading the Israelites out of Egypt. God used him for many miracles, but at one point when they complained about not having water in the wilderness, he became angry and struck the rock instead of speaking to it is God instructed. As a result, God did not permit him to go into the promised land.
Other people also in the Bible could have used a do over. David committed adultery after murdering the husband of his object of affection. Paul thought he was doing God’s work as a righteous Pharisee by persecuting the church. It took the direct intervention of Jesus Christ appearing to him for his life to be straightened out. Peter as boisterous as he had always been, bragged that he would never betray Christ. Yet, when Christ was under arrest and being interrogated, Peter denied Jesus three times as predicted by our Lord. Five of the seven churches in the book of Revelation found themselves under scrutiny by Christ for the compromising of their faith. It is unknown for certain if they reformed themselves after the criticism from Jesus; probably not.
Think about our lives as we try to move down the road. We all sin. We are all fallible. Still, I am sure that we would all agree that the following comments would be true of us one time of the other. Think about how you live your Christian testimony and see if any of these are true of you. Maybe with me, you could also say that you would’ve liked to have …..
Been more consistent in how you have exercised your daily life.
Been more aware of the details of temptation that have confronted you.
Been more careful about what you have said or the behavior you displayed before others.
Been more hopeful when facing times of discouragement.
Been more encouraging to others who were themselves experiencing discouragement.
Been more submissive to Scripture and the Holy Spirit.
Been more repentant immediately after the conviction of sin you committed.
Been more faithful to the reading of Scripture and attending church.
Been more prayerful for yourself and others when in need of God’s intervention.
Been more concerned for those things that people shared with you, not brushing them off.
The best we can do is learn by our mistakes. It’s not simply a matter of making a resolution. It’s more a matter being determined to live a dedicated life. Forgiving ourselves for transgressions is something people often find difficult to do. However, this is also important in trying to grow in the Lord. We cannot have a do over. We can pledge ourselves to be more conscientious and all the things we know already that would indicate a growing Christian life led by the Holy Spirit.
Christian Writer 