I have often heard people say that it would be great if we could have one life in which to learn, and then a second life in which to put what we have learnt into practice! But that’s not how it works. Instead, we must learn as we go, and inevitably we will make mistakes along the way. It’s easy to beat ourselves up over the things we’ve failed at or done wrong, and if we take this too far, we may never fully experience the abundant life that Jesus promised us (John 10:10). Of course, confession of our sin to God and repentance are a central part of a holy life, but we also need a conviction of our righteousness in God, if we are going to be spiritually strong and do exploits. Through our acceptance of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross we receive God’s gift of righteousness, something we could never achieve through our own efforts. Righteousness is accredited to us, and in the confidence that He thereby gives, we are ready to make the most of our life on earth. We are only given one mortal life on earth, and during our relatively brief time here, we can
either do things our way, or Heaven’s way. A life lived without Heaven’s guidance is a life lived in the dark, but a life of contemplation is always bright, shining forever. The Way of Heaven is open to all. Those who take it join an invisible company of men and women from every continent and century who have diligently sought and followed the Way.