Regret
...over one too many deserts over the holidays
...the sluggishness and extra pounds from completely falling off the wagon on any kind of exercise plan you once had (and finding way too many excuses not to start again)
...the credit card bill telling you that you spent too much money on Christmas presents
...resolutions that you are already behind on.
Regret - I've been thinking about that recently. It's something I'm told I need to let go of, move on from. That spending too much time with regret is not helpful. God tells me that 'repentance leads to salvation that leaves NO regret.' (II Cor 7) But when I looked a little further into the subject of regret in the bible, I found out that even God had regrets. Really? Is that possible? How does God have regrets when He's never done anything wrong? Well, His regret was over our evil hearts (Gen 6) and rebellious ways (I Sam 15). It's sad that not even 6 chapters into the bible, God was already regretting that He had made us... wow. But it's interesting to me, too, that God, who has nothing to be sorry for and no need to change, seems to have 'changed' in response to His regret. After destroying all of mankind except Noah and starting over, He STILL knows that our hearts are evil, but this time chooses to make a covenant with Noah never to punish mankind by a flood again. And after Saul's disobedience and failure as king, He raises up David, who would not LOOK like a king, but would have the HEART of a king. That was a change, too.
So I saw this quote:
“I have no regrets in my life. I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person.” -- Rita Mero
I do agree that things happen for a reason and perhaps the hard times do build character, but no regrets? I wonder if this person ever had regrets over hurting someone? I'd admit that maybe it's cavalier to pull yourself up and proclaim that you have no regrets if the only person you've ever hurt is yourself with your potentially regrettable choices in life -- but when you've hurt others, and you say you have no regrets, it gives this quote a rather callous tone.
Here's another one:
“Regret is an odd emotion because it comes only upon reflection. Regret lacks immediacy, and so its power seldom influences events when it could do some good.” --William O'Rourke
This one speaks a bit more truth to me. Maybe if the regret could somehow play itself out before our eyes and heart BEFORE we jumped into the messes we find ourselves in, perhaps we would be able to avoid some costly mistakes. But then again, we are still human, so maybe not. I'd at least like to THINK that it would help...
That brings me to this last one:
“If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” -- Mercedes Lackey
Hmmm... I think I agree. I have quite a few 'if only' times in my life. Times I'd like to get back and do differently. Some have cost me dearly -- but what I regret most is those that have cost the people I love dearly. That's the stuff I find hard to let go of.
When I was little, my mom used to have one of those sayings that moms like to say. :) You know the one... "Two wrongs don't make a right!" Well, if you turn that around a bit, I think you often find that no amount of 'rights' can make up for a 'wrong.' At least it seems that way to me. And I hate that, because I want so badly to undo or make up for the wrongs and hurts I've done to others.
I guess this is the point where a lesson on fogiveness and grace should start, but for now I'm just going to say that I'm so thankful for both, from God and in my relationships. What possible hope would I have otherwise?
...the sluggishness and extra pounds from completely falling off the wagon on any kind of exercise plan you once had (and finding way too many excuses not to start again)
...the credit card bill telling you that you spent too much money on Christmas presents
...resolutions that you are already behind on.
Regret - I've been thinking about that recently. It's something I'm told I need to let go of, move on from. That spending too much time with regret is not helpful. God tells me that 'repentance leads to salvation that leaves NO regret.' (II Cor 7) But when I looked a little further into the subject of regret in the bible, I found out that even God had regrets. Really? Is that possible? How does God have regrets when He's never done anything wrong? Well, His regret was over our evil hearts (Gen 6) and rebellious ways (I Sam 15). It's sad that not even 6 chapters into the bible, God was already regretting that He had made us... wow. But it's interesting to me, too, that God, who has nothing to be sorry for and no need to change, seems to have 'changed' in response to His regret. After destroying all of mankind except Noah and starting over, He STILL knows that our hearts are evil, but this time chooses to make a covenant with Noah never to punish mankind by a flood again. And after Saul's disobedience and failure as king, He raises up David, who would not LOOK like a king, but would have the HEART of a king. That was a change, too.
So I saw this quote:
“I have no regrets in my life. I think that everything happens to you for a reason. The hard times that you go through build character, making you a much stronger person.” -- Rita Mero
I do agree that things happen for a reason and perhaps the hard times do build character, but no regrets? I wonder if this person ever had regrets over hurting someone? I'd admit that maybe it's cavalier to pull yourself up and proclaim that you have no regrets if the only person you've ever hurt is yourself with your potentially regrettable choices in life -- but when you've hurt others, and you say you have no regrets, it gives this quote a rather callous tone.
Here's another one:
“Regret is an odd emotion because it comes only upon reflection. Regret lacks immediacy, and so its power seldom influences events when it could do some good.” --William O'Rourke
This one speaks a bit more truth to me. Maybe if the regret could somehow play itself out before our eyes and heart BEFORE we jumped into the messes we find ourselves in, perhaps we would be able to avoid some costly mistakes. But then again, we are still human, so maybe not. I'd at least like to THINK that it would help...
That brings me to this last one:
“If only. Those must be the two saddest words in the world.” -- Mercedes Lackey
Hmmm... I think I agree. I have quite a few 'if only' times in my life. Times I'd like to get back and do differently. Some have cost me dearly -- but what I regret most is those that have cost the people I love dearly. That's the stuff I find hard to let go of.
When I was little, my mom used to have one of those sayings that moms like to say. :) You know the one... "Two wrongs don't make a right!" Well, if you turn that around a bit, I think you often find that no amount of 'rights' can make up for a 'wrong.' At least it seems that way to me. And I hate that, because I want so badly to undo or make up for the wrongs and hurts I've done to others.
I guess this is the point where a lesson on fogiveness and grace should start, but for now I'm just going to say that I'm so thankful for both, from God and in my relationships. What possible hope would I have otherwise?
If you, LORD, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?
But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.
I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,
and in His word I put my hope.
Ps 130:3-5
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