We can be so hard on ourselves for things we have done or have not done in our past. Time can not be recalled and life can not be relived. Nothing torments us more than some failure that we can not forget. My devotion this morning talked about Paul being in the shipwreck and ending up on the island of Malta. God had spared the entire crew through the shipwreck and now Paul was building a fire on the island to warm and no doubt cook with. When he put a bundle of wood he had picked up on the fire, a viper crawled out and bit him and fastened himself to Paul’s hand. The men who were witnessing the snake bite thought the gods must be getting even with Paul for something he had done wrong. They thought Paul would be killed. Instead, what they witnessed amazed them. (Acts 28:5 But Paul shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no ill effects.) God had great things in mind for Paul. He was not going to allow a little snake bite to derail that purpose. God has great things in store for your life also. God will not allow some “snake bite” you may have encountered in your past life to stop you from reaching your purpose. Don’t allow past failures to keep you from trying again today. Cut them loose!! Let them go!! Shake them off!! Pastor Don [image: image.png]