Your Mistakes Don't Cancel Your Destiny

The Bible tells the story of an unusual man named Samson who made many mistakes yet was used by God. There were many supernatural occurrences in his life. His birth was predicted by the prophets, and an angel told his mother she would have a child who would be a deliverer and do great things. Samson had supernatural strength, and his enemies couldn’t defeat him.

As time passed, he began to let his guard down and started compromising. This once powerful, influential man ended up captured by his enemies. They gouged his eyes out and imprisoned him. Every day he worked as a slave, moving the big grindstone at the mill, chained to it like an animal.

With all his poor choices, you might think God would be done with him. Samson had failed miserably, but God always gives us another chance. Your mistakes don’t have to cancel your destiny. After each of Samson’s mistakes and compromises and giving in to temptation, the scripture says that the Spirit of the Lord “strengthened Samson one more time” (see Judges 16:28).

One day his captors were having a big reception in the temple. They brought Samson out to make fun of him. As he was standing there being mocked and ridiculed, Samson asked a young boy to place his hands on the big columns that held up the temple. The miracle was that God had given Samson his strength back one more time. He pushed over the column pillars so the whole building collapsed. Samson defeated more of his enemies in his death than he did in his entire lifetime.

You may have failed again, and the accuser is telling you that you’ve made too many mistakes, and now you’re finished. Like Samson, God has a “one more time” for you. Don’t believe what the accuser is telling you.

Romans 8:1 (NIV) says, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus,” but here’s the key: “who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (v. 4, NKJV). If you’re in the flesh and you make a mistake, ask God for forgiveness, and get up and continue in what God has called you to do. He is faithful to always forgive us of our sins.

You can’t go by your feelings; you must go by what you know. You may not feel forgiven, but I know you are forgiven because God’s Word says so.

The real question is, are you going to get back in the game? Are you going to get your passion back, your fire back, your dreams back? We have all made mistakes, but God is saying you’re forgiven. If He forgives you, why don’t you forgive yourself?