Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer of Christian Science, writes, “It is good to talk with our past hours, and learn what report they bear, and how they might have reported more spiritual growth” (Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, p. 330). Most of us have at times reflected on our past accomplishments and reevaluated our goals. Yet what if this journey of self-assessment includes “if only” moments?

What we now see as misguided actions or lost opportunities are not irredeemable. And while it may be impossible to relive the past, we can still amend our present thoughts about it through prayer. By aligning our thinking more accurately with God’s view of us as His beloved offspring and with what He truly knows of our history, we are able to yield to the redeeming action of divine Love, God. This renewing influence can restore our sense of innocence and well-being. The Bible promises, “I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten” (Joel 2:25).

Widespread beliefs about ancestry, birth order, chance, and age, as well as belief systems such as numerology and astrology, are often suggested as factors contributing to “if onlys,” whether a distressing one-off or a pattern of failures. Yet, these erroneous elements can be rendered powerless as we discover more clearly our inseparable relation to God.