PLEASE, FORGET THE REGRET.
PLEASE , FORGET THE REGRET
At a time like this, when we find ourselves in a lock down as a a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are left with a lot of time on our hands. There is nothing wrong with that. Some have not had time off work and from their very busy schedules for such a long time. So for those let this be a blessing; sort of. You can catch up on reading or checking up on friends and former school mates/work colleagues and bonding with the spouse and the children like never before. You could also take up a new hobby or if the will is there, learn a new skill. There is more than enough time to do all that now. Whatever you decide to do, please do not engage in idleness. As the saying goes “The idle mind is the playground of the devil”. Idleness gives birth to, all kinds of unnecessary evil like abuse, addiction, depression and regret to name just a few. But today I would like to talk about the time wasting strategy of the devil called “regret.”
This is a good time to sit down quietly and reflect on our journey thus far and let our reflection help us to be better prepared for the next phase of our lives, after this pandemic.
Everybody has a past. Everybody. So let us not dwell on what kind of past we had. We are here today and by the grace of God we have a beautiful tomorrow to look forward to. Therefore we must not let any regret dampen our spirits. Because when there is regret there is no peace. “The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled.” Genesis 6:6 NIV There is already so much going on around us we do not need to aggravate ourselves with regret. When there is regret, there is anger and weeping. “I regret that I have made Saul king , because he has turned away from me and has not carried out my instructions. Samuel was angry and he cried out to the Lord all that night.” 1 Samuel 15:11 NIV This is a time to be alert and not to be spent crying over any spilt milk.
When we live in regret of past actions we are telling God in essence that we do not trust Him. How do I mean? It is written thus: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” Romans 8:28 NLT God says “everything”. Not just good things. So that must include things that are not good as well. Even the “not good” things will be used by God to achieve a hope and an expected end for us. We should do well to believe Him at His word and let regret be a thing of the past.
I have no idea what you wish you could turn back the clock for; I do not know what it is that you wish you had the chance to do all over again; perhaps you should never have quit that job, you should have made that investment sooner, you should not have indulged in that one night stand that left you a single parent, you should have adopted that child, you should not have married that person, you should have spent more time with your mother or father or children, you should never have had that abortion, you should not have cheated on your spouse, you should not have sexually abused that subordinate, you should not have had an affair with your husbands friend: the list of things we should not have done is endless. Know that there are consequences for our sinful acts but they will pass and God’s compassion towards us will still come through. But first we must confess and repent of all our wrong. And hear what God will do: “The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.” Joel 2: 25 NLT When God assures us of restoration then we have no cause to regret.
So if for any reason you are tempted to spend time on regret, PLEASE STOP before you even start. It is not worth your time. It is just an unnecessary distraction. God has already moved beyond your past and so should you. He is planning a new thing. Do not let it pass you by. Be expectant as we wait and trust Him to see us safely through this pandemic.
PLEASE, FORGET THE REGRET.
OLUYINKA EGO-MARTINS ©