He can fix it
And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. Acts 20:9
I did it again. I said something I shouldn’t have said, or I did something I probably should have done. Even sometimes I go where I shouldn’t have gone. On the other hand, I didn’t say something I should have said or I didn’t do something I should have done. There have been times that I didn’t go where I was supposed to go. Inevitably after the fact, there is going to be regret. I am not perfect, so there are times in life when I am disappointed about the way I handled a situation. It’s true and it happens to all of us. No matter how hard you try to do the right thing or do what is expected of you, there is still a chance of error. We live in a fallen world and there will still be days that that you wish you could have a do over.
There is a secret when this happens. There is a way of turning it around when you mess up or do things less than perfect. That is turn it over to Jesus. When you miss the target in life, don’t wrestle with feelings of inadequacy and regret. Instead, turn it over to the Lord and ask Him to make something good come out of it. Pray something like: “Heavenly Father, I know I shouldn’t have said that or did that thing, I’m sorry and I cannot take it back now, but can you please turn that situation for good. Would you bring peace to those circumstances and not let evil prevail. If there was someone I hurt or disappointed, please fill their heart and life with love and make what the enemy meant for evil turn out for Your goodness instead?”
In today’s reading, Paul met with a group of believers in an upper room the day before he was about to leave their city. Because he was about to leave them, he spent all day with them and even preached for hours until it was very late at night. I expect it was hot in that room because the window was open, and someone actually fell out of that window during Paul’s message. When reading this passage, it can be easy to read through the verses as if this was no big deal, but the guy actually died so you know there was not just a little stir. This was an urgent situation and one that would have caused great alarm. So much that everyone there ran out of the room down to the ground to see if the young man was ok. They verified that he was dead, but Paul took the matter in hand and said, don’t be afraid, and turned that bad situation for God’s glory through a miracle of the Holy Spirit. They all went back up to the third-floor room and ate a meal together before Paul left the area. They even brought the person who had fallen back in alive and they were comforted. What could have ended in a tragic day was turned into a peaceful farewell party for Paul and his team because they kept the meeting in God’s hands.
Today I want to encourage you when things are not going well, when you say or do what you didn’t want to say or do, turn it over to God. Repent and ask Him to make it right. Remember to commit these situations to Him and He will turn them for good. It may take a while or it may happen right away, but your peace will come as you commit all things into His hand to be handled for His honor and glory. You do not have to live a life of regrets and disappointments; you can commit all your ways to Him and He will turn them into something good and purpose.
Today’s scripture reading: Acts 20:7-12
7 Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.
8 There were many lamps in the upper room where they were gathered together.
9 And in a window sat a certain young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep. He was overcome by sleep; and as Paul continued speaking, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.
10 But Paul went down, fell on him, and embracing him said, “Do not trouble yourselves, for his life is in him.”
11 Now when he had come up, had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till daybreak, he departed.
12 And they brought the young man in alive, and they were not a little comforted.
The Daily Dose 