“THE SHOULDA BEENS” By Tammy Maseberg, July 9, 2013
“Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14, NAS)
We weren’t exactly ready for the Pro Bowling Tour. Strikes and spares seemed to elude us—one or two pins were left standing to mock us on a regular basis. “That shoulda been a strike!” we said many times. So, our team became “The Shoulda Beens.” It was perfect.
I want to shout out that very same thing some days. There is a real danger, spiritually and emotionally, when we look too much at what should’ve or could’ve been instead of what is. This is a battle for me. The reality is that we all have stuff in our yesterdays that can provoke regrets and guilt. Our past does play a role in who we are today, but God is lord of our past, present, and future. He knows all about our “shoulda beens,” and the struggles we have because of them.