Give Yourself the Grace to Grow

Forgive yourself for not knowing then what time, experience, and God would teach you later

#MindsetMonday • 7:15 a.m. June 1, 2026

Forgive yourself for not knowing earlier what only time, experience, and God could teach.

Some lessons are learned through our wins, but most are learned through struggle – through prayers that felt unanswered, through mistakes you wish you could have the opportunity to correct, through seasons where maybe you weren’t your best self.

We’ve all looked back at old decisions and wondered:

“What was I thinking?”

“Why did I stay so long?”

“Why did it take me so long to figure ‘it’ out?”

I’m inviting you to be reminded that wisdom often comes after the storm, not before it. Ecclesiastes (3:1) reminds us, “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

You see, even growth has a timing to it. God develops us layer by layer, season by season. It’s not your fault that the person you were five or 10 years ago did not yet possess the understanding, maturity, discernment, or perspective you have now.

That doesn’t absolve us - accountability and responsibility are important. We should own our mistakes, apologize when and where needed, and learn from our failures. However, carrying lifelong shame for lessons God used to shape us serves no purpose.

Sometimes we feel as if God expects instant perfection, while Scripture repeatedly shows us that He walks and waits patiently with imperfect people. Moses doubted. David failed. Peter denied Jesus. God wasn’t finished with them, though. He’s not finished with you and me, either.

Let’s not allow self-condemnation over who we used to be. God will always be growing us into who we are becoming. Using hurts, victories, mistakes, and failures to our advantage and His Glory. So, stop beating yourself up for not having today’s wisdom in yesterday’s season. Some understanding comes only from walking through the fire and discovering that God was with you in it the whole time.

So, this week: Be grateful you learned. Be humble enough to grow. Be kind and wise enough to extend yourself some grace.

You are not who you were.

Thank God for that.