If the previous year of your life were to be featured in a magazine article, would you send copies to your family? Would you invite your friends on Facebook to read it? There was a time I wouldn’t have.

If you were to take snapshots of the difficult seasons of my life, you’d end up with a collage of huge failures and disappointments. Every time I made destructive choices to cater to my addictive behaviors, I chose to sabotage important relationships and opportunities. How I wish I could relive those years. Why did I wait so long to come to my senses?

The infamous biblical prodigal son probably asked this same question after squandering all he had on loose living.

“But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!’” (Luke 15:17 ESV).

The prodigal son lost almost everything, including his reputation, his relationship with his family, his finances and his self-respect. 

What about you? Have your choices placed you uncomfortably close to these or similar consequences? We all have habits or behavior we hate. 

Perhaps you lied to your boss this morning about how much work you’re getting done while working from home. Lying is something you’ve done a lot more of lately, and you fear where this now-familiar behavior may be heading.

Or maybe those phone calls you’ve been making to someone who isn’t your spouse started out as purely business, but today, you’re feeling sick about your thoughts and intentions.

Or you’ve stopped having your quiet time with God. You hate to admit it, but you’re beginning to hunger more for worldly pleasures than for pleasing God.

One bad choice opens the door to another one, and soon, you’re entangled in sin. Eventually you fall for the lie that you can’t change, so you continue down the precarious path.

How much more humiliation are you willing to suffer? Where are you today, compared to where you were a year ago? Even a month ago? What will it take for you to come to your senses? Please don’t wait until you hit rock bottom. God’s grace is real – so very real. 

With God’s help, you can change. Your next twelve months probably won’t be featured in a magazine, but it could be your best year ever. 

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