6 Causes of Mistakes

Mistakes can be great teachers for us if we will only learn the lessons that come from them. Jesus said in Mt 11:19, “Wisdom is proved right by her deeds”, which means making right choices has a clearly visible good result for all to see! Conversely the results of mistakes are also plain to see. We all make mistakes, but If we have to make mistakes let’s learn from them.

6 Causes of Mistakes
​
1) Inexperience- The vast majority of mistakes happen due to inexperience or a lack of knowledge. Most can be avoided by getting counsel or advice from ones who have done it before. Overconfidence can easily lead to reckless choices made.

2) Fear- When irrational fear directs us rather than the Holy Spirit or the Word, we can freeze up from making the right decision. Instead,we might hold onto what appears safe or comfortable. Calculated risks born of faith move us forward and obeying the Word leads to blessing.

3) Peer pressure- The fear of man is a trap which can move us to agree to things we shouldn’t while thinking we are somehow making others happy. Be true to your own conscience. Nobody else will.

4) Reactionary impulsiveness- Making decisions in reaction to past events is unwise.Years ago I drove a very safe sedan,but when my son and I were in a crash in it, I chose to get a big clumsy SUV for my next car. A big mistake. Don’t make a decision today based on a reaction from what happened yesterday or from unresolved conflicts.Forgive and move on. Don’t allow a traumatic event in your past define your future.

5) Lack of self control- Only the Holy Spirit can give us the self control we need & to make wise decisions, we need to learn to say “NO” to what seems urgent in the short term. The American culture encourages the need to live in debt. Think long term and put thought in your decisions.Ditch idealism & pie-in-the-sky. Fantasies are fun to read or watch, but in the real world we base on our lives on obeying the Word of God.

6) Pride- is the #1 cause of most major mistakes because pride causes us to stop listening. When warnings and discernment are not heeded, disasters can happen! LISTEN! Memorize the Proverbs,which is full of the fool’s folly. The fool’s primary trait is the inability to listen to others and heed instruction.
​
Don’t allow successes to blind you to be overconfident. Thank God for good things, but plan for the worst and believe for the best! I close with the words of Winston Churchill- “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”