LIVING BEYOND REGRET

Life can be filled with regret.  Regret of the simplest form and regret of life changing actions.

Regret is a feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over something that has happened or been done.

I regret eating that nightly bowl of ice cream many nights when I cannot sleep--



When looking over my shoulder at yesterday, I may experience regret, knowing those actions have influenced today.  Wishing I had done things differently, wondering if I said the wrong things, thinking I should not have reacted, or second guessing that which seemed so right in the moment.

Giving myself far more credit than I deserve for the place I find myself today, I forget the sovereignty of God.  Fail to remember Who has planned my path.  Put myself on the throne and claimed the credit for the good and  suffered the regret for the bad.


Did the Innkeeper regret sending Mary and Joseph to the stable-denying them a room?  Why he could have given them his own room--a woman in labor---great with child---sent to have her baby surrounded by the animals---in a smelly barn.  Did he later hear stories of Jesus and regret his lack of compassion?  Did he regret the place he was given in history---the one who denied them the comfort and warmth of a room?  



God used the innkeeper so that Jesus--The King--would be born in the lowly manager--so there would be no doubt who Jesus was.  Hundreds of years before the birth of The Messiah-- the circumstances of His birth were foretold -in Bethelem--to a virgin--from the line of David.  The innkeeper played his part in the fulfillment of The Word.  His regret would have been wasted-and a denial of God's Sovereignty.

Waste not a second in regret--instead live in faith--knowing Who is ordering the steps before you---Who is in control--Who ordained the path you are to walk.  Spend no time looking over your shoulder--gazing into the past--but instead focus on today and believe in tomorrow.  Live not in regret, but instead in the faith of God's omnipotence.


 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
Micah 5:2





6 comments

  1. Regrets, I've had a few. But then again; too few to mention. I suppose we all have regrets Lulu. Perhaps great ones of things that happened to us which were not of our making. But as you say, we should move forwards in trust of the Lord.

    Non ... rien de rien ... non je ne regrette rien ... (sorry, I broke into song just then. The neighbours are throwing stones at my window to hear me better).

    By the way, did you know that at the Nativity Joseph was heard complaining to some servant "I said I wanted to see the manager, not the manger!"

    God bless.


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    1. ALWAYS leaving me with a laugh, Victor!
      Blessings, Friend!

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  2. Our lives are full of regrets and missed opportunities. It would take me years to list all mine.
    It's amazing what our LORD Jesus did for all mankind when one dwells on it. HE left the glories of Heaven, suffered all manner of indignities, pain, hunger, bore our sins on the cross, died then rose again on the 3rd day and now bares the scars meant for us, so that all may be saved for all eternity to be with Him. That's overwhelming! And I'm very grateful HE doesn't regret His work that we may know eternal life.
    Hope your day is blessed. ~:)

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  3. Another wonderful and contemplative message!! Never have I thought about regret in terms of the innkeeper at Jesus' birth. How his action had already been ordained by the Maker to have happened just so. That put so many of my regrets in perspective. I know this was prompted by the Holy Spirit for you to write as I really needed to hear this today. Another one of my favorites. love

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    1. I think we all have regrets--but unless we take them and learn from them--they are all for naught!
      Bless You, Sweet Friend!

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Your comments keep my writing and often cause me to think. A written form of a hug or a pat on the back and an occasional slap into reality---I treasure them all!