Avoiding the Potholes of Life; a Practical Way to Learn From our Mistakes

Avoiding the Potholes of Life; a Practical Way to Learn From our Mistakes

Every morning during the week I take the same route to work in Washington DC: 395 to the Third Street Tunnel and then on to the building I work in. If you are at all familiar with the Third Street Tunnel you know that as soon as you get off the exit to get into the tunnel you have to stay in the left lane before entering.

Years ago I remember traveling to DC for work and had an experience with 2 Giant potholes that were located in the left lane about 50 feet inside the tunnel. I hit those potholes at a high rate of speed and felt lucky that my tires did not blow out, lose a hub cap, or break an   axle. Well the next day came and I hit the same dog gone potholes again, getting ever so frustrated at myself for not avoiding my tunnel nemesis. My hope was that I would remember not to take the same path in the tunnel the next day, but sure enough, for the next 2 days I hit the same 2 Giant potholes. Even though I my car wasn't damaged, I felt a deep sense of frustration that I would make the same mistake 3 more times after the first incident, knowing the possible consequences of the repeated error in not making the proper course correction. So after the fourth time I plunged into the depths of broken asphalt that week, I finally remembered to move over to the center lane just as I got off the exit to enter the tunnel. Yeah for me.

In a funny yet tragic sort of way, for many years I lived my life as though I could not avoid hitting the potholes in the road. Even knowing the consequences of my actions, I still could not with the perspective that I had at the time, make the proper course corrections to avoid the pitfalls of living life without any true sense of direction. I made mistakes and kept making those same mistakes over and over again.

Fortunately God gives us a clear understanding about Wisdom. We can make a distinction between two types of wisdom, “Earthly Wisdom” And “Heavenly Wisdom”. We may think we have wisdom because mankind has come to believe in a worldview that assumes that there is real truth apart from God's truth. Yet the tragedy for many is believing that having knowledge is somehow tied to having wisdom. I know a lot of smart people whose lives are falling apart from the inside out. They believe that doing life based on how they see the world is a formula for success. Many times that formula is a mixture for disaster cause it removes God from the equation and inserts the worship of self and focuses on selfish desire. The good news is that we can make a clear distinction between “Earthly Wisdom” and “Heavenly Wisdom”.  “Earthly Wisdom” Is self-focused while “Heavenly Wisdom” is God-focused.

In the Book of James (James 3:18) in relation to “Earthly Wisdom”, James points out “for where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find Disorder and every evil practice.”

• This Type of Wisdom is unspiritual and of the devil.

 James also points out the Characteristics of “Heavenly Wisdom”:

(James 3:13) James says “Who is wise among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in humility that comes from wisdom.”

 “Heavenly Wisdom”is:

• God centered 
• Pure 
• Peace-loving 
• Considerate 
• Submissive 
• Full of mercy and good fruit 
• Impartial and sincere

In order to attain this wisdom we need to ask God for it.

James 1:5-8 tells us to ask God for Wisdom, and when we ask, not to doubt that He will give it to us. God promises that if we ask for wisdom in this way, He will generously give it to us.

There is a couple more things to understand. Real or a saving faith is connected to Godly wisdom.  Without real faith people rely on themselves and disregard God's principles. Those who have a saving faith rely on God for wisdom and direction. Yet Believers don't always follow Godly advice. In other words, the bible is chock full of wisdom, but the hard part is application and every believer struggles with obedience to God at some point. The good news is that even though believers sin they are not a slave to sin

 

Romans 6:6 (TLB)

Your old evil desires were nailed to the cross with him; that part of you that loves to sin was crushed and fatally wounded, so that your sin-loving body is no longer under sin’s control, no longer needs to be a slave to sin;

All of God's children are a work in progress and God desires that followers of Jesus continue to grow in their Love, faith and to trust in Him. God desires to give us wisdom, direction and purpose for us lives. This is the one verse that I keep coming back to that helps me realign my heart with God:

 

Proverbs 3:5-6  (NIV)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 
in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.


^{It is also Jesus' desire for us to live an abundant life:}

John 10:10 Living Bible (TLB)

The thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.

So you might say what does this have to do with learning from our mistakes. Because the tendency in life is to rely on our own wisdom. With “Heavenly Wisdom” comes an understanding of God’s view, the eternal perspective, and the way to live abundantly in a broken and fallen world. The Biblical worldview is the key to God's truth and holds the principles and promises needed to find real truth and the hope of salvation. What God offers far surpasses Earthy Wisdom. So even though God may allow us to fall into some of the potholes created by a broken world and our desire to do life apart from Him, He will surely give us the wisdom to learn from our mistakes, and avoid those same potholes in the future.

Just Sayin………………………Dave