How many mistakes have I made in life? (How many days have I lived?) Even my attempts at calculating a number would be in error, either due to my flawed estimation, or my meager math skills (calculators had me beat long before smartphones!) The precise answer to the question is: a-plenty.

I don’t know about you, but I can often feel my feet are made of clay and humbly have to face the limits of my energy, attention or skills. I have a finite amount of time every day and I often end it wondering about the list of things left undone. It certainly leaves me with something to do tomorrow.

That said, it also leaves me wishing I could have done better. Sometimes, even when I have worked hard all day, I can feel like I swam an ocean, only to have someone point out I was swimming in the wrong direction. It is a reminder of the Proverb: “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Prv 29:18).

At the end of any given day, when you lay your head down to rest, what is your attitude? Thank goodness that is finished? Or: Lord, I did my best? Or: Lord, recover the day from whatever I have made of it?

There was a basic prayer I learned in childhood that expressed the sense that in all things we lay ourselves in God’s hands. We rest not on our laurels or accomplishments, nor do we sink under the weight of our shortcomings.

Alexander Pope (an English writer in the 1700s) expanded on an ancient Latin phrase declaring “to make mistakes is human” by adding a paired thought, “to forgive, divine.”

This is the epicenter truth of Christian faith. God’s nature is forgiveness, redemption, renewal, recreation. In our humanity, we are fallible, limited in sight, wisdom, strength and even faithfulness to our promises or values.

Even so, God promises to be God, committed to seeing us fully reflect God’s nature as Imago Dei — made in the image of God.

So, let this be your vision from God going forward: to err is human, to forgive is divine. Know God’s forgiveness of you.

Begin to express reflections of this forgiveness to others… “for God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:17).

Rev. Michael Kendall is lead pastor of Farmville United Methodist Church. His email address is mkendall@farmvilleumc.org.