Control Freak?!Sample

Rewind

Yesterday our daughter woke at 4.45am. For a non-morning person like myself, this is just way too early. Safe to say I’ll never be joining the 5am club! I went into her room and she was fussing and not up for going back to sleep. In my tired and irritable state, I said a very bad word in front of her and told her firmly to just go back to sleep. It was a word I do not normally use and I instantly regretted it. It turned out she had a bad tummy and was not being difficult as I had first assumed. I took her downstairs and we cuddled on the couch and she eventually went back to sleep. As she slept, I was stung with regret and shame. I love her so much and was grieved at my snappy response and what I’d said in front of her. I know I’d lost control of my mouth and it was far from a loving response. It’s at times like that I often wish I could rewind. That’s one of many examples, varying in severity, from my own life, that I wish I could rewind.

The good news is that although we cannot rewind ourselves, we can remind ourselves (I’m not gonna lie I’m very happy with that line!).

We can remind ourselves that Jesus lived a perfect life, with no need for the rewind button. His death means we can be truly free from the guilt and shame linked to the times in our lives when we wish we could hit rewind.

We can remind ourselves that when we come to God in our brokenness, confessing our flaws and foul ups, he fully forgives us.

God will never remind us of our mistakes - once confessed to him, they are permanently washed away.

I’m reminding myself that I can have a clean slate today, even if I said a very bad word at 4.45am.

Reflection - What comes to your mind that you’d like to rewind? Bring it to God, pour out your feelings of remorse, then gratefully accept the fresh start and unconditional love he extends to you.

Prayer - God, now I’ve brought the things I wish I could rewind before you, help me to resist reliving them by using the replay button. Help me to fully accept your forgiveness and loving kindness towards me. Amen.