by Dr. Paul Chappell

"For thou art an holy people unto the LORD thy God: the LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth. The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers, hath the LORD brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations."

Deuteronomy 7:6-9

God gives hope even in the darkest of life's trials.

Author Louisa Tarkington was once quoted as saying the following:

I wish there were some wonderful place called the Land of Beginning Again,
Where all of our past mistakes and heartaches,
And all of our poor selfish grief,
Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door
And never be put on again.

How many times have you thought back over your life and felt regret, guilt, or shame for something done? Maybe you ignored your parents' warning, chose the wrong friends, or dabbled with sin that led to heartache. We all have regrets in life, and often wish for a "Land of Beginning Again."

If you're a Christian, you've visited that land of new beginnings. You've experienced forgiveness, grace, and mercy from God. You've rejoiced in His love and been renewed by His Spirit. Yet often the devil can bring to mind past mistakes and failures. Don't be fooled-the feelings of guilt and shame over past mistakes that God has already forgiven is not of God. God has given grace to overcome such feelings. Notice three ways God helps His children overcome mistakes:

Forgiveness for past mistakes. God tells the Israelites in Deuteronomy 7 that they were specifically chosen to be His people. He knew their mistakes and shortcomings. He knew of their complaining nature and rebellious feelings. Yet He loved them and delivered them from slavery.

God knew your failures and mistakes before He ever saved you. Before He left Heaven, He knew the sins you would commit that necessitated His death, and He died anyway. God doesn't guilt you for past mistakes, but forgives you of them.

Grace for present trials. The Israelites had been freed from bondage and set on a path toward a new home, yet they faced daily trials. Heat, tiredness, doubts, and enemies' attacks plagued their journey. But God didn't leave them to wander in the wilderness alone. He accompanied them.

If you're saved, God's freed you from sin, guilt, shame, and past mistakes. He's set you on a new path, a path toward eternal life. But like the Israelites, you face trials and difficult times on your journey. You experience the highs of a godly life, but also feels the pains of the low times in life. Never forget that God doesn't leave your side on this journey. He extends His grace to carry you through the valleys of life.

Hope for the future. What can keep you going even when things seem to be spiraling out of control? What helps you press on when your world comes crashing down? If saved, God has prepared for you a home in Heaven. Even now, He's readying your place in His kingdom. You will soon be done with these trials and forever be praising the Lord.

God gives hope even in the darkest of life's trials. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Don't allow the devil to focus your eyes on past mistakes or present trials, but dwell in God's forgiveness and grace, and look ahead to the wonderful hope He has in store for you.

To learn more about the ministries of Lancaster Baptist Church and Pastor Chappell, please visit lancasterbaptist.org, paulchappell.com, or follow him on twitter.

Daily Bible Reading
Psalms 84-86 | Romans 12