We’re only human, and humans make mistakes

We’ve all had them, haven’t we? 

Days we want to disappear.    

Days we want to stay in bed.

Days we beat ourselves up — again and again — because we did or said something that was totally and utterly stupid.

Nobody enjoys days like this, but if we’re out there living, taking chances and leaving our house each morning to make a difference in the world, we’re bound to get it wrong sometimes. All of us mess up. All of us sin. All of us come face-to-face with the painful reality that we’re only human, and humans make mistakes.

Admitting a mistake is painful, and it seems to me that we commonly respond in one of two ways. We either dwell on our wrongdoings or ignore them. Neither end of the spectrum is healthy because they prevent us from living our best life possible.

When we dwell on our mistakes, we stop moving forward. We fixate on what we should have done and could have done as if wishing for a different past could change it. And while it’s crucial to examine our mistakes and learn from them so we don’t repeat them, it’s easy to become frozen by fear. It’s easy to fall into “paralysis by analysis,” deciding to never take another chance again because we’re scared to make another mistake. 

The other extreme is to deny our mistakes, to sweep them under the rug and pretend they never happened. This is harmful for obvious reasons, but one of the greatest dangers is what happens over time when we numb our conscience and awareness of right versus wrong. To lose our ability to recognize our mistakes is a tragedy. It’s a slow death to the soul.

So what is a human to do? How can we deal bravely with our mistakes — and the consequences that result — without self-condemnation, self-hate or self-delusion? As Christians, we believe the answer is Jesus. Through His death on the cross, even our biggest mistakes can be redeemed and forgiven. We can look ourselves square in the eye to admit our human failings and desperate need for Him. 

God knows we’re not perfect, and through Jesus he offers freedom: freedom from the past, freedom from lies and freedom from poor choices. If there’s any upside to making mistakes, it lies in their potential to draw us closer to God and His unconditional love because right now we’re living in an age of mercy. We’re serving a Lord who can bring good from our mistakes once we confess them with a genuinely contrite heart. Even when a situation seems hopeless, God can turn it around. He can rescue us from our predicament so we may then rescue others. 

There are big mistakes and small mistakes, mistakes we get over quickly and mistakes that keep us awake at night. But regardless of our track record, today is a new day. Today is our second chance to make amends and begin living the way God created us to live, which means:

Saying “I’m sorry” to those we hurt.  

Forgiving those who hurt us. 

Being honest with ourselves, others, and God so that even hard truths come to light.

Admitting we’re not perfect, and how that’s a good thing because if we were, we wouldn’t need a savior.

Showing grace and compassion to the mistakes of others. 

Doing a fearless moral inventory of our habits and weaknesses so we know where we’re likely to slip.

Seeking help when we keep repeating the same mistakes.

Letting go of grudges.

Facing consequences and paying the price of our mistakes because getting on the right track allows healing and restoration.

Our mistakes don’t overwhelm or surprise God. They don’t mess up His plan for the universe and create chaos in heaven. Even if we mess up big-time, He can redeem the mess. He can turn pain from the past into hope for the future.

We’re only human, and humans make mistakes. And while there’s no joy in messing up, joy can be found in the divine encounters our mistakes lead to, when the radiance of the cross shines light on our darkest moments, reminding us of this gift called grace that makes our humanity bearable and inspires us to serve God with a grateful, humble and willing heart. 

Kari Kubiszyn Kampakis is a Mountain Brook mom of four girls, columnist and blogger for The Huffington Post. Her first book, 10 Ultimate Truths Girls Should Know, is available on Amazon and everywhere books are sold. Join her Facebook community at “Kari Kampakis, Writer”, visit her blog at karikampakis.com or contact her at kari@karikampakis.com.