Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker

Slap Somebody

The longer I live, the more opportunities I have to interact with people. The family and friends I’ve grown up with are on my “warm and fuzzy forever list” in my heart. And I’m happy to say I’ve continued to add new people to that list. God knows how to bring good people into my life to be a blessing to me and, hopefully, I can be a blessing to them. It’s a win-win and I need and love that interaction. Individuals who come along side me, slap me on the back and say encouraging words are a gift straight from God.

I’d like to slap my readers on the back and offer some encouragement for those who suffer from having trouble forgiving themselves. Please remember that no one is perfect — with a good heart and our best intentions we all have faults, failures, and shortcomings. (I’m not talking about sin, which is practicing a transgression knowing it’s against God’s Word.) I’m referring to decisions and actions that were less than perfect in retrospect, but actually the best that could be done at the time. Focusing on our failures opens the door to regret, and that’s a dangerous life-sucking emotion to allow into our heart and mind. Yesterday, and what we did or didn’t do, is gone. It does no good to replay it in our mind.

Apostle Paul wrote to encourage the Church in Philippi, “I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead…” (Philippians 3:13 NLT). If any Christ follower had something to regret and stew over, it was Paul. He hunted down, persecuted, jailed, and stoned Christians to death. But Jesus loved him, had a specific mission for him, and turned him around 180 degrees. If Paul could successfully overcome his past, we can too. We have the same liberating grace and perseverance available to us as Paul. God hasn‘t changed; what He says we can have we can surely obtain.

Hopefully, most Christ followers have no trouble forgiving others, but many have trouble forgiving themselves. Honestly, Jesus’ command to forgive one another would include yourself. Make the quality decision to forgive yourself and then let it go. You should slap yourself on the back and say, “I did the best I could at the time,” and don’t look back. I have a retired Navy pilot friend who says, “The runway behind you ain’t no good.” Stop letting the devil slap you around in your mind and emotions. We all know that he whispers lies because he’s the Granddaddy Liar (ref. John 8:44).

As believers, we aren’t supposed to be just barely hanging on by the hair of our chinny chin chin until we get to go to heaven. The abundant life Jesus talks about in John 10:10 is referring to how we live on earth now. Don’t let the disappointments of your past poison your today. Since God forgives and forgets our sins, we can surely forgive and move past our failures. We must partner with God’s plan, not Satan’s miserable plan. The devil is good at what he does because he’s had a lot of practice at ruination. But Jesus has the antidote for regret and it’s called restoration. “He restoreth my soul” (Psalm 23:3). That’s a promise you can take to the bank. I know firsthand.

Consider yourself hugged, loved, and slapped. Now get back to living the abundant life and look for people you can slap on the back and verbally encourage. They need you!

The Key: I’d rather slap someone on the back than their face.