Reflecting On Your Life with Joy

Reflecting On Your Life with Joy Devotional Reading, June 28, 2023

In the first year of my academic studies, I majored in Psychology. The concepts and theories explaining human behavior were fascinating. But as I progressed in the program’s core theories, my mind became troubled as conflict arose between psychological views and the Bible. I observed that therapeutic intervention tends to focus excessively on the past and also justifies a person’s wrong choices by attributing them to being a victim of life’s circumstances.

From pursuing my desires, I was torn between the psychological and biblical viewpoints. I found myself in a state of confusion. Seeking guidance, I prayed for God’s direction in my academic pursuits. Jesus always answers our prayers. I was blessed with a scholarship for nursing studies.

This opportunity not only equipped me with the necessary knowledge of human behavior to comprehend mental and emotional disorders, but also enabled me to teach patients personal health strategies that would aid in their mental, emotional, and physical healing. My nursing career has been a source of gratitude, as it has allowed me to inspire hope and facilitate new beginnings for others.

As I reflect on God’s Intervention, I am thankful to God for protecting me from the spiritual consequences of not seeking His guidance when following my dreams and transitioning me to this very fulfilling profession.

All of us can share a memory of the bitter disappointment that comes from making mistakes. Whether life-changing or mere obstacles, our mistakes usually occur as a result of a decision-making process that excluded God. We relied on our human wisdom and strategies to choose what appeared to be the best choice. When our plans failed, the discouragement we felt was overwhelming.

Not every consequence of a negative outcome happens because of our decisions!

Many children have been raised in abusive homes without the love and nurture from their parents that they rightfully deserve. Spouses [especially husbands] have made decisions that have train-wrecked their family’s financial status or the fidelity of their marriages. And children who are raised without structure and discipline because the parental focus is to establish a friendship mature into self-centered adults who do not know how to love others and break the hearts of those who fall in love with them.

“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” —Galatians 6:7

Because of the sinful condition that permeates our hearts and the worldviews that encourage us to “Just Do It!” we easily gravitate toward making counterproductive decisions [without godly guidance] and end up suffering negative consequences. Whether we messed up by thinking our own thoughts or someone else [including parents and caregivers] made decisions that compromised our life, God is a Heavenly Father who specializes in giving New Beginnings.

Reflection: Are you stuck in the past? What are you thinking about? Are you traveling on the road of life with the baggage of shame and guilt? Do you harbor feelings of bitterness and anger because of someone else’s mistakes impacting your life? Then God has a message for you. The Contemporary English Version of Isaiah 43 says, “Forget what happened long ago! Don’t think about the past. I am creating something new. There it is! Don’t you see it?” (Verses 18 and 19).

“Do not remember the former things, Nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness And rivers in the desert.” —Isaiah 43:18-19, NKJV

God’s promises never fail! Are you ready to live a God-given joyous life? There is a mandate for every one of us to fulfill before we can move forward: A Prayer of Confession, Repentance, and Forgiveness. Before we can receive a new and joyous life through Christ Jesus, we must confess and repent for excluding God from our lives.

Confession and Repentance: “Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, And cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions, And my sin is always before me. Against You, You only have I sinned, And done this evil in Your sight—That You may be found just when You speak, And blameless when You judge” (Psalm 51:2-4).

Forgiveness: “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions” (Mark 11:25).

And we must forgive those who sinned against us by making poor decisions. The worldview, “I will forgive, but will never forget,” is not biblical. Unforgiveness is hatred! Without forgiveness, God will not bless us with the new life that He promises to give in Isaiah chapter 43. Nor can we hope to receive eternal life.

Feelings of Shame and Guilt? Forgive yourself! Do not beat yourself down or allow others to weigh you down with the burdens of never-ending shame and guilt for past mistakes because they are unwilling to forgive. Having a relationship with someone who fails to forgive will rob you of your God-given right to live a peaceful and joyful life. Pray for guidance and sever the relationship if no other options are available.

Confession and Repentance are not to be misused by thinking one can commit intentional repetitive sins of wilful disobedience. Our hearts reveal their true condition. When we approach God with humility, [a broken heart and contrite spirit], He forgives us. “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19).

God forgave King David for his heinous sins involving Bathsheba. Yes, there were consequences for His sins, the first child died and David’s family would always have internal chaos. Still, after David’s confession in Psalm chapter 51, our loving God restarted David’s life and blessed him with a son. King Solomon the wisest man ever to live on this earth was the son of King David and Bathsheba.

Because of sinful desires, we have the innate tendency to act impulsively and exclude God. We sin, repent, and God forgives. Jesus selflessly sacrificed His life for us, which makes us the recipients of God’s abundant love, grace, and mercy. We receive God’s gifts without asking for them. Yet, there are spiritual gifts that we must pray and ask for—wisdom and spiritual discernment.

Include God by Praying for Wisdom: “To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding. To receive the instructions of wisdom…The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.” —Proverbs 1:2-3, 7

The human effort of confession, repentance, and forgiveness allows the Holy Spirit to create a new heart within us and gives us spiritual insight, wisdom, and discernment. We begin to view life through spiritual eyes. Our desires align with the will of God. Before making decisions, we humbly pray and wait for God’s answers before moving forward.

Despite our shortcomings, God makes all things new when we are faithful and obedient. Can we live a joyous and peaceful life on this earth? Yes, we can! God’s promises always produce blessings. Therapeutic advice says to reflect on the past, God says, Let go of the past! Trust Me! I am doing something new in your life that will make you reflect on Me and rejoice with gladness! Amen.

Scripture: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3; NIV).

Prayer: God, we confess that we have messed up and stopped Your perfect plans for our lives by our disobedience. And for this grievous sin against You, we repent. We forgive everyone who has harmed us mentally, emotionally, and physically. We ask You to remove all feelings of shame and guilt from making past mistakes. Lord, we ask You to start our lives over today. We surrender and commit to bringing everything to You in prayer and will wait for Your answer. We thank You for hearing and answering our prayer that we ask in Jesus’ Worthy name, Amen.

© 2023 Steps 2 Success with Spiritual Solutions and Woman, You Are Loved by God Ministries