I Corinthians 10:6,11 “Now these things were our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. . . . Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”
What is the worst mistake you have ever made? I may not know much about you, but I do know the worst mistake you can make is the one you do the second time! Have you ever said, “Oh no, not again!” or, “I can’t believe I did that again!”? This morning, I believe we can learn three helpful ways to learn from mistakes.
First, the Apostle Paul encourages us in chapter 10 to learn from life. God does not want us to be ignorant (verse 1)–ignorance is not bliss! You don’t have to be intelligent to learn from life. Use each trial, success, and failure as a learning experience. Your life is but a vapor (James 4:14), so learn what you can from each day and moment.
Secondly, we ought to learn from our own mistakes and the mistakes of others. You have more experience to stand on than any generation before. How are you putting that experience to use in your life? We have the privilege of learning from thousands of years of human mistakes. How tragic to repeat others’ mistakes when you could have avoided their experiences!
Lastly, we should learn from the Bible. That sounds obvious, but notice again verse 11: “And they are written for our admonition. . . .” The Bible is a book of life; from the narratives to every psalm to every epistle, the Bible can be a help. God’s Word was not written in a vacuum, only to be used and heeded by the first recipients. You can and should learn so much from the Bible. Every psalm has a story, and the New Testament epistles are great to learn from because they were often written to correct what was wrong.
This is a week to learn from your mistakes–today is a great day to start. Reflecting and analyzing your work after a period of time can be beneficial. Don’t squander an opportunity to learn from your mistakes. When you think about mistakes, don’t be deceived–the wrong attitude will always lead you to the wrong place (verse 12); don’t be dense–not learning is not smart; and don’t be defensive–with yourself or others.
Take time this morning to think about your week, month, year, etc., and learn from your mistakes and the mistakes of others. The worst mistake is the one made twice.
Prayer Requests:
1. A word from Bro. Rice regarding a special project need this month
2. Revival service tonight in San Diego, CA