After a round of golf, a British statesman and his friend walked through a field in which cows were grazing. The men were so absorbed in conversation that they forgot to close the gate when they left the fenced area.

The statesman happened to notice the open gate, however, and went back to close it. Then he told his friend that this little incident reminded him of a doctor who was dying and was asked by a minister whether there was anything he wanted to say before he slipped away. "No," the doctor replied, "except that through life I think I have always closed the gates behind me." The dying man had learned to put failures and disappointments behind him so they wouldn't rob him of his joy and peace.

As Christians, we should learn that lesson well. When we sin, we can "close the gate" to nagging guilt by confessing our sin to our merciful Lord and accepting His forgiveness (Isaiah 54:7-10; 1 John 1:9). Or, if we have a misunderstanding with someone, rather than allowing the irritation to fester, we should go to that person and make things right (Matthew 18:15).

Let's close the gate to the failures and disappointments of the past—then move on!  — Richard De Haan