Forgiveness

In 1985, Coca-Cola abandoned a formula that had made its primary soft drink dominant  throughout the world and introduced New Coke in its place. When the public reacted with outrage, the company rethought its decision. Seventy-seven days later, it reintroduced Classic Coke with the original formula.

The man responsible for this failure was Coca-Cola’s chief marketing officer. As Forbes Magazine commented, If ever there were a failure destined to kill a career, New Coke was it.

Shortly after this debacle, this man left the company. He could have given up. Instead, he persevered. He was eventually rehired by Coca-Cola before starting his own company. In the end, he became acclaimed as one of the greatest pitchmen of the twentieth-century.

Looking back, the executive described how the New Coke failure had turned out to be a roaring success. Why? Because we were willing to learn from the experience and to change our minds. They put aside company pride and admitted their mistakes.

Many people have not learned this lesson. When they make a mistake, they feel defeated and wallow in failure and guilt. They assume God will reject them.

The Bible reminds us that all of us sin (Romans 3:23). But if we confess our sins, God is ready to forgive us.

Have you made any mistakes? Don’t give up! Confess your sins. Receive God’s forgiveness. Let Him cleanse you and set you free.