When You Think It’s Curtains!

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
—Romans 3:23

One Saturday I was at the airport waiting for my flight number to be called so I could return home, and I decided to make one final stop at the restroom before boarding the plane. While I was washing my hands, I noticed a woman entering the restroom. She looked at me and froze in embarrassment. She apologized profusely for being in the wrong restroom, and I said, “That’s okay. Don’t worry about it. It happens to me all the time.” Clearly embarrassed, she darted out of there. I dried my hands and straightened my tie.

As I left the restroom, for some reason I happened to look back. Posted on the wall next to the entrance was a feminine stick figure and the word “Women” written underneath it. I’d been the one in the wrong restroom the whole time!

We all make mistakes, don’t we? At the beginning of a new year, we often think through our mistakes and resolve to do things differently. But not all of our mistakes are minor mishaps like going to the wrong restroom. Most of us have at least one major blunder in our past, such as:

• An innocent friendship that turned into an immoral affair
• A poor financial decision that now threatens your future security
• An opportunity squandered because of laziness
• A choice to invest more time in your career than in your family
• Leaving a relationship you should have stayed in
• Staying in a relationship you should have ended

As you consider a past mistake, you might be wondering, “Will I have to spend another year regretting my mistake?” “Can God ever forgive me for my mistake?” “Even if God does forgive me for my mistake, will I have to spend the rest of my life suffering the consequences?” “If God is really in control, did His plan for my life include this tremendous mistake?” And most importantly, “Can I ever hope to recover from my mistake?”

Unfortunately, life has no Rewind button. But God can use even your worst mistakes as tools for greater success in your life. Scripture says that no matter what has happened in your past, you can have a second act—a second chance in your life.

This week, we will discover why the curtain doesn’t come down when we mess up. The Bible reveals significant truths that we need to understand about the mistakes we all make.

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “The Curtain Doesn’t Come Down When You Mess Up” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2016.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.