Sometimes I wish I could go back and tell the younger me so many things.

Work harder and save your money – start good habits now, it will help you down the road.

Be nicer to your family – hard times are coming and you’re gonna need each other.

Don’t revolve your world around that boyfriend – you know, the one you blew off your friends and family for…he won’t stick around in the end.

Show kindness to that unkind person – maybe they aren’t nice to you, but there’s more to the story than you know.

Help that friend in need – one day you’ll find yourself in need, too.

But the truth is I can’t go back in time. And since I can’t go back and change the choices my younger self made, I find myself trying to prevent others from doing what I once did so they can avoid the hurt I once felt. It’s a good and loving thing for me to want to do, right?

But it doesn’t always work.

I was talking to my husband recently about how we sometimes have to watch people we care about make the same mistakes we once made ourselves. We can try to offer our advice to them based on our experiences, but there are times when our words will fall on deaf ears. During those times, I believe we need to close our mouths, trust the Lord and let them make their own choices–and pray for them, knowing that God is in the details.

He was for me.

Maybe I can’t go back and change my past, but I’m SO glad. I am a different person today because of how the Lord took my brokenness and made it into something beautiful for him. Without some pretty tough experiences in my story, I don’t think I would know or love the Lord like I do now.

And for that very reason, my prayer is that God would do the same in the lives of others around me! While I would never wish hardships on anyone, I do pray that God would take those times and use them for his glory and the good of his children.

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. – Romans 8:28-30

I just want to thank MercyMe for inspiring the title and content of this post with their new song, “Dear Younger Me,” which you can listen to here.

Christianity dear younger me difficult times Faith maturing in christ Trials