For anyone in the automotive industry, the secret for effective vehicle performance is light weight. Irrespective of the capacity of the vehicle, if the body or chassis of the vehicle is too weighty, the vehicle wouldn't be as efficient as they builders may desire.
As vehicles require to be light to be fast, humans also require to be light enough for efficiency and effectiveness in their various endeavors. For motor vehicles, as the mileage increase, the chances of the vehicle to develop faults increases. The implication is that, as the vehicle moves across various terrains and locations, it encounters various bumps, potholes, hills and valleys; which overtime results into some wear and tear of the entire vehicle. Therefore, an older vehicle stands the risk of becoming inefficient more than newer vehicles.
Listen to Podcast: HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH YOUR PAST MISTAKES AS A LEADER?
In this article, we are confronted with a question that probes into our past as individuals. While the question is not an indictment of our past, it is also not assuming that we have had it all good and easy since we were born. Obviously, we have made certain choices or decisions, not necessarily in full understanding of the consequences; but in some instances, as spurs of the moments. For some people, certain decisions have been made that has resulted in extramarital affairs, divorce, pregnancy, career failure, academic failure, business collapse and sicknesses among others.
Our focus here is to consider the best way to deal with our past mistakes as leaders. To better understand the matter, we would be considering an incidence in the Book of Genesis as we continue the series on 'Leader Trip To Genesis™':
Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. And she had an Egyptian maidservant whose name was Hagar. 2 So Sarai said to Abram, “See now, the Lord has restrained me from bearing children. Please, go in to my maid; perhaps I shall [a]obtain children by her.” And Abram heeded the voice of Sarai. 3 Then Sarai, Abram’s wife, took Hagar her maid, the Egyptian, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan. 4 So he went in to Hagar, and she conceived. And when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress became despised in her [b]eyes.
5 Then Sarai said to Abram, [c]“My wrong be upon you! I gave my maid into your embrace; and when she saw that she had conceived, I became despised in her eyes. The Lord judge between you and me.”
6 So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.
Genesis 16:1-6
At this time in the history of Abram and his wife Sarai, they were both advanced in age, yet, there were no children they could call theirs. At a point, Sarai DECIDED to do something about the situation – she felt that she could get a child for her husband through her MAID; and so, she handed her over to her husband as a wife. At that point, Sarai was well respected, honoured and celebrated by Hagar, and so, Abram slept with her. But as soon as Hagar conceived a child in her womb, Sarai became a nobody before her. She began to despise Sarai and to dishonor her to the point where Sarai reported the matter to her husband.
So Abram said to Sarai, “Indeed your maid is in your hand; do to her as you please.” And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence.
And when Sarai dealt harshly with her, she fled from her presence……As Abram said to Sarai, I also declare to you that your own MAID (mistake, wrong decision or bad judgement) is in your hand. The things that you did years past, months past and weeks past, which you though had gone out of your hands (out of control or repair) is still within your reach. It is not yet over, you can still come out of this mess that you brought yourself into. However, you must note that the key to getting out of the shame or reproach of bad decisions isn't excusing your own mistakes or pampering your mistakes or romancing your mistakes. Rather, if you want to become light, free and separated from the shame of the past, you must do what Sarai did to her mistakes – you must deal RUTHLESSLY, HARSHLY, SERIOUSLY and DELIBERATELY with them. Don't excuse your mistakes, deal with them. Don't try to explain your mistakes, deal with them.
The New Year (2019) isn't going to produce must pleasant things to you if you still remained tied to your past mistakes; remember, until Sarai dealt harshly wi our own mistake, honour, glory, influence and authority didn't come to her. Also note, mistakes are never decisions made with God, but decisions made without God's input or command. It is time to go back to God for His forgiveness and guidance. He is not only able to help you, He is willing to show Himself strong in your behalf; however, you must address this past of yours that your future may be alright in God.
