Mistakes

I was reading a story about Jacob. He did a bad thing when he stole the birthright and blessing from his brother Esau. And yet, had said the older was to serve the younger. Does that mean Jacob should have waited and things would have worked out okay anyways, or were his mistakes part of God’s plan, or was God’s statement merely made from a knowledge of the future and how events would unfold?

Sometimes I feel like I’ve made a mistake as far as a direction I’ve chosen to go. Perhaps I’ve acted too hastily and haven’t really sought God’s will and his seal of peace. Perhaps my motivations led me in a direction that wasn’t the best. And yet I know that God has promised to lead me and guide me. And even these ‘mistakes’ seem to turn out good with me learning more about myself and about God and growing in character and strength. So…are they mistakes or are they part of God’s plan. Perhaps they start out as mistakes but God’s promises to turn everything to good for those who love him integrate them into his plan in an indistinguishable way. I know for sure that mistakes or not, I spend too much time living in regret and not enough time just enjoying and making the best of the present.  So whats the answer…I really don’t know.