This, from today's "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers, is great encouragement for anyone who has ever felt as though they have "missed it" in doing something that you know the Lord wanted you to do!
The disciples went to sleep when they should have kept awake, and when they realized what they had done it produced despair. The sense of the irreparable is apt to make us despair, and we say – “It is all up now, it is no use trying any more.” If we imagine that this kind of despair is exceptional, we are mistaken, it is a very ordinary human experience. Whenever we realize that we have not done that which we had a magnificent opportunity of doing, then we are apt to sink into despair, and Jesus Christ comes and says – “Sleep on now, that opportunity is lost for ever, you cannot alter it, but arise and go to the next thing.” Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ, and go out into the irresistible future with Him.
There are experiences like this in each of our lives. We are in despair, the despair that comes from actualities, and we cannot lift ourselves out of it. The disciples in this instance had done a downright unforgivable thing; they had gone to sleep instead of watching with Jesus, but He came with a spiritual initiative against their despair and said – “Arise and do the next thing.” If we are inspired of God, what is the next thing? To trust Him absolutely and to pray on the ground of His Redemption. Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action.
AMEN! I have encountered more people than ever before who pick up on someone else's failure and try to drive them into the ground with it! Yes, we MUST acknowledge and confess sin, but then we also MUST receive the forgiveness that the Blood of Jesus has provided for us (1 John 1:9) and then move on! Micah 7:8:Rejoice not against me, O my enemy! When I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light to me.
AMEN! There is ALWAYS a next step after repentance (changing your thinking to agree with God)! It is NOT possible to stand still in your walk with the Lord. We are either progressively growing up in the things of God or we are sliding back. Our focus must be to continue to "press on towards the mark" (Philippians 3:14)! Make it your goal to do what pleases the God of the Bible every day and forget what people have to say! When we please God, He has promised that even our enemies will be at peace with us (Proverbs 16:7)! AMEN! Here is Hillsong United with "Mercy, Mercy":
Shalom in Him!
