The similar path we all began walking together was altered as we began making choices and living with consequences which created alternate routes and detours. We all agreed at 17-18 years of age--you are still so young and naive. As you begin to look back, you see how some poor choices made the going rough. You understand how illnesses, deaths, and many other things out of our control affect your trek. And here we are all these years later--three entirely different people who are still connected by the memories of our youth.
As I thought this over, I was reminded of the story of King David who begged God for the life of his son who became ill as a consequence of David's poor choices. David tore his clothes and cried out in anguish as his son lay dying. God's answer was, "No".. And then----he picked himself up--dressed in a familiar tunic--and kept on living his life. Although, I am certain, he always missed his son, he did not live in regret for the remainder of his life steeped in the great sorrow of his loss. He chose to continue to seek God and live the moment in front of him.
So it is with our life---we can bog down in the mire of regret---gnashing our teeth and moaning over the what if's, if only's , and only if's--or we can let the past remain in the past. Never denying our history, but instead learning from it, accepting it, and moving forward with where we are. We can live beyond regret--putting aside the fruitless struggle of mourning what was, and instead living in anticipation of the future and what God has in store for us. For we KNOW the plans He has for us!
16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying in sackcloth[a] on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”
19 David noticed that his attendants were whispering among themselves, and he realized the child was dead. “Is the child dead?” he asked.
“Yes,” they replied, “he is dead.”
20 Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food, and he ate.
II Samuel 12:16-20
This is a very difficult subject of which you speak, Lulu. Very few people would be able to, like King David, get up, clean and eat and pray to God, after such a tragedy. Most people would act very differently, and blame God even for not listening to their prayers. Such is the fragility of faith.
ReplyDeleteYou speak of choices and regrets. Yes ... the road is long that we travel and very few of us can stand up and sing "Non ... rien de rien ... non ... je ne regrette rien ..." or even in English "Regrets ... I've had a few ... but then again ... too few to mention". That is because we do not have the voice of Edith Piaf or Frank Sinatra.
Of course I've had regrets, still have, of course I made wrong choices ... but looking back those choices had to be made, wrong as they were at the time and even now, they had to be made for the sake of others. What we should do now is look back and move forwards. Not at the same time or else you'll hit a wall or lamp post or something. Let's look back at what we've done or failed to do, learn from it, and move on, with or without regrets.
Pheeeww ... I feel no longer cheerful.
God bless you, Lulu.
The serious side of My Friend, Victor - always with a hint of mirth . Well said, Victor!
DeleteBlessings!
Oh this I love, Lulu -->'Never denying our history, but instead learning from it, accepting it, and moving forward with where we are. We can live beyond regret--putting aside the fruitless struggle of mourning what was, and instead living in anticipation of the future and what God has in store for us.'
ReplyDeleteIf we can, by God's grace, live like this, there'll be no regrets. Even for the stuff we wish had never happened.
Thanks for holding hope up high ...
It is a day by day choice, and I have to remind myself often!
DeleteBlessings, My Friend!
Hi Lulu! I think it's wonderful that you thought about this story from King David. Bad things happen, well...what we see as bad, and yet it's God's will. I hope I can be more like David in that he recognized that the death of his son was the plan. I do think I make plenty of bad choices, but God can still make good of it. He decides, not me.
ReplyDeleteIt's up to me to be able to accept and go on. That's maturity. That's understanding who's in charge after all.
Hope you enjoyed your time with your friends. There's nothing like old friends, they know us so well.
Blessings,
Ceil