What Might Have Been

We were backing out of the driveway a few days ago and our 8 year-old son Isaiah said, “It makes me really sad that Nana and Grand-dad got divorced.” (Two years ago my parents got divorced after 36 years of marriage.)

Isaiah continued, “Why did they get divorced?” Elijah, our 12 year-old said, “Grand-dad struggled with the same thing daddy used to struggle with: not telling the truth. But now dad refuses to lie and always tells the truth. It’s what saved mom and dad’s marriage.”

That was good enough for Isaiah…conversation over.

Trisha and I tried not to show how much this conversation rocked us.

I started to think about what might have been. What might have been if my dad would have made different choices? What might have been if I would have told the truth sooner? What might have been had I not chosen the affair?

What might have been haunts me sometimes.

When I allow God into my “what might have been” moments and surrender them to Him, He always reminds me of what is.

What is is grace.

What is is redemption.

What is is a fresh start.

What is is new mercies every morning.

What is is so much more desirable that what might have been.

What might have been will try to remind you of your past. What might have been will try to steal what is right now. What might have been will overwhelm you and rob you of all of the “what is” gifts God is giving you in this moment.

Jesus took your “what might have been” and He gave you His “what will be.”

Live in that today.