By Andrea Goebel, God’s Way
The beginning of a new school year is always bittersweet to me because I must acknowledge the fact that my children are growing older.
It’s a wonderful truth that also makes me wistful for the days when our daughter, now eight, was a baby. This year, I feel even more emotional than normal, perhaps because our oldest son has just started kindergarten. And our baby is crawling around the house and sitting up on his own.
So, I ask myself the question that every parent asks: How did time pass by so quickly? When did they get so big?
Sometimes, I struggle with regret over the parenting knowledge I lacked when our daughter was a baby, and I consider how I would do things differently if I could start all over again. I look at the struggles my children face and wonder how much of my parenting influenced their attitudes and behavior.
Even though these thoughts cross my mind occasionally, I recognize that these thought patterns are in no way healthy or helpful.
As I shared my thoughts with my husband recently, we both acknowledged the truth: all we can do is choose to go forward, doing the best we can — happily.
Those words resonate with me now as I realize that sometimes, I stay mired in my sin and ruminate on all the things I wish I had or hadn’t done. If I could go back in time, I tell myself I would change some of my behaviors so I wouldn’t repeat the same offenses. But I can’t do this, so why do I stay stuck thinking about my sins?
Sometimes, it’s easier to think about the past than it is to face the present. We are sinners because we are human. Since Adam and Eve’s fall from the Garden of Eden, we have sinned, and we will continue to sin even when we have the best of intentions not to.
Our sins separate us from God. They lead us on a path that looks very different than the life God desires for us, and they cause us — and those around us — great pain. However, sin is not the end: Jesus died for our sins and gave us another chance at life and eternity with him. He offers us his forgiveness and redemption if we just ask him for it.
The words of Psalm 103 praise God as they describe this gift: “Bless the Lord, my soul; all my being, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord, my soul; and do not forget all his gifts, Who pardons all your sins, and heals all your ills, Who redeems your life from the pit, and crowns you with mercy and compassion” (Psalm 103:1-4).
When we accept Jesus’ forgiveness, we move beyond the pain of our sin and begin healing. We have hope and a future because of him.
Life is bittersweet because it always moves forward; time does not pause or reverse. We can look on memories fondly and learn from our mistakes, and we can move forward with God, seeing beauty in our surroundings and finding joy in our lives.