If you’ve ever made a decision that you wish you could go back and change, rest assured you are not alone. We all mess up, make mistakes, and frequently need forgiveness. Be encouraged that God is still good even when our decisions are not.
Some wrong decisions require that we seek forgiveness from God or those we have hurt.
According to 1 John 1:9 “...if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (NLT). When a wrong decision leads us to sin, God’s promise is that He will forgive us if we are willing to confess it. So no matter what the mistake might be, God is able and willing to forgive you.
Sometimes a wrong decision hurts someone else. That is when we must be obedient to God and seek their forgiveness as well. Scripture even points us to the truth that unresolved hurt with others hinders our relationship with God (Matthew 5:23-24).
The good news is that God’s plans are not limited by our bad decisions.
In Genesis 37 we are introduced to Joseph, one of the sons of Jacob. His story is filled with examples of wrong or bad decisions. A deeper look can lead us to question whether Joseph always made the right decision in sharing his dreams, and we can easily see that his brothers made wrong decisions in how they handled their anger and jealousy toward Joseph.
A lengthy string of wrong decisions led to brokenness in Joseph’s family, his brother’s essentially kidnapping and selling him into slavery, and false accusations that landed Joseph in prison. With so many wrong decisions and unfortunate outcomes, we might begin to question if all those things interrupted or interfered with God’s plans.
The rest of Joseph’s story shows us that nothing could be further from the truth.
God can even use our wrong decisions for good.
Throughout the course of my life, I have seen and made many wrong decisions. There have even been times when I felt a little like Joseph—wondering how my situation could turn out to be good. I am glad to report that I have also seen the truth and power of God’s promises on the other side of those decisions as well!
According to Romans 8:28 “...we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them” (NLT). Yes, everything. That even includes our wrong decisions. God’s mercy, grace, and goodness are so vast that He is able to bring good plans together out of our failures.
Your story isn’t over, because God is still working.
The rest of Joseph’s story helps us to understand that there is still hope for our own, even when we have made or been affected by wrong decisions or bad choices. God used the terrible situations and circumstances in Joseph’s life not only for his benefit, but also for the benefit of his family and even the people of Egypt. God elevated Joseph to a position of influence and authority that allowed him to put a system in place that provided for everyone through a prolonged season of famine (Genesis 41).
Joseph’s brothers still feared that he might seek to punish them for the harm they had inflicted upon him, so they went before him to plead for mercy. Joseph’s response points us directly back to the truth of how God works through wrong decisions. “‘You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people’” (Genesis 50:20 NLT).
God not only redeemed all of those wrong decisions in Joseph’s lifetime, but He used them to preserve the people who would become Israel, God’s chosen conduit through which He would eventually send the Messiah—Jesus our Savior! So if you’ve made some wrong decisions, be encouraged that God can do greater things with our mistakes than we could hope to achieve doing everything right on our own.
A Prayer for Moving Beyond a Wrong Decision
Heavenly Father, I know that I have made mistakes and wrong choices. Please forgive me and lead me in seeking the forgiveness of those I have harmed. Help me to rest in the hope that You are still working and that You can bring good things out of this bad situation. Give me wisdom for the days ahead and help me to make decisions that honor You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
