UNPACK This...Forgiving One AnotherSample

Bill Belichick Makes A Mistake, But Not Another One

Under the leadership of head coach, Bill Belichick, the New England Patriots have an uncanny ability to get the most out of their players. Whenever the Patriots make a trade, they always seem to know something the rest of the league doesn’t.

Before the 2017 NFL draft, the Carolina Panthers sent defensive end, Kony Ealy, to the Patriots for a second-round pick. Everyone assumed he’d be a great addition to the Patriots, but after a few months with the team, they released Ealy with Belichick explaining, “It’s just one of those things that didn’t work out or wasn’t going to work out.”

The Patriots realized they made a mistake, so they quickly moved on by letting him go. Belichick wasn’t going to let one mistake lead to another mistake. If they kept Ealy when they knew he wasn’t the answer, their initial mistake would have compounded.

This is a valuable lesson we can apply to our own lives. During the times when we blow it, we need to stop, confess, and move forward in the right direction and not allow mistakes to lead to others.

If we try to keep our sin hidden, the sin can compound into more sin and lead us down a dark path. Instead, we must humble ourselves, run to the cross of Christ, and ask for forgiveness.

As followers of Jesus, we can be encouraged to know that when we confess our sins, God is faithful to forgive us. 1 John 1:9 says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Seeing how Belichick moved on from his mistake, let’s be challenged to recognize the sin that needs to be released and confessed in our lives so we can move forward in grace and forgiveness.

I’m Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, please convict me of the sin in my life that I need to confess. Give me the strength to let go of the grip it has on me so that I can experience the freedom found in Jesus. I desire to do what is right for Your glory. Thank you for the forgiveness You show me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.

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