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Thoughts on Regret

Regrets, I've had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do and saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course, each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this, I did it my way

Frank Sinatra had a mantra.  He announced it clearly and it became his theme song for decades.  He did everything his way.  And that is fine.  If someone is willing to live with the consequences, then live your life anyway you want.  But today I don’t want to write about Frank Sinatra’s misguided life, I want to write about regrets.

Generally, regret happens when people remember something with a sense of disappointment or loss, even sorrow.  Everyone has looked back at something they said or something they did and wished they could have done it or said it differently, even better.  I knew a pastor many years ago who would recount every word and thought after a gathering and actually reverse doing it better next time.  He had regrets.

For any of the happy little buddhists, there are no regrets.  Since the past is nothing and the future does not exist, no brain power is to be wasted on pondering the past and, possibly, forming regrets.  For the Christian, there is no need for regrets.  This is because of the blood of Christ.  If something in the past was sinful then that is forgiven.  If a Christian mis-speaks or inadvertently offends or does something that could bring regret, the Christian needs to remember that the past is sanctified.  All sins are forgiven and all actions are cleansed by the blood of Christ.  We accept the past as reality and move on.  If we have to apologize or repent or make recompense, we do, with no regret.  Christians always move forward with an eye on eternity with Jesus.  There will be no regrets (and probably no Frank Sinatra) there.

There are those that live off the praise of people.  the Bible calls them “pleasers of men.”  Man pleasers are sensitive to everything people say or do.  A cross look can ruin their day.  Because they want to please people and gain their praise, they will regret anything that prevents that.  It is a sin to please people and not God.

We are taught, by the political class and media class that what people think is vitally important.  Politicians need to lie and cheat and manipulate to get your votes.  The media needs to sell advertising so they need viewers.  The more sensational and outlandish they are, the more chance that eyes will be watching.  In their hearts, politicians and the media are people pleasers and have no interest in pleasing God.

So live life like there is no tomorrow, because, maybe there isn’t.  Live life before the face of God.  Please him with your words and actions.  When you sin, confess it and be cleansed from all unrighteousness, and live a life with no regrets.


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