The Moment You Missed and the Mercy That Remains

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down. For the Lord upholds him with his hand.” - Psalm 37:23-24

Every believer has lived through a moment they wish they could redo. Maybe it was a conversation where you sensed God nudging you to speak, yet fear rose faster than courage. Maybe it was a stranger who opened a door for a spiritual conversation that you did not walk through. Those moments linger in your mind. You replay them. You imagine doing it differently. You tell yourself you failed.

Scripture tells a different story. God does not abandon you because of a missed opportunity. He knows your weaknesses, your hesitations, and the places where courage has not fully formed. Instead of walking away, He meets you in those moments with mercy. His plans are not fragile. One missed step does not ruin the path He designed for your life. When you fall short, He upholds you. When you hesitate, He restores your confidence.

Think about how God has handled people throughout Scripture. Peter denied Jesus three times, yet Jesus restored him and entrusted him with leadership. Jonah ran in the opposite direction, yet God pursued him and sent him again. Moses doubted his voice, yet God still used him to confront Pharaoh. None of these stories ends with failure. They end with redemption because God always writes the last line.

Your missed moment does not disqualify you. God knows how to prepare another opportunity. He knows how to soften your heart, sharpen your awareness, and strengthen your courage for the next time He prompts you. The goal is not perfection. The goal is growth. When you admit your hesitation and bring it to God, He uses that honesty to shape boldness within you. What once felt impossible starts to feel natural because His Spirit is working in you.

Don’t let regret keep you silent. Let it remind you of the kind of believer you want to become. Ask God for new courage. Ask Him for another chance. Ask Him to open your eyes the next time He places someone in your path. He is faithful to redeem what you missed and to prepare what comes next. The mercy of God is greater than your mistakes, and He delights in giving you another moment to speak when He calls.