Regret

 

Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27 ESV).

 

I would like to be able to say that I have lived a life without regret; however, that simply would not be the truth. What I can say is that I have learned the wisdom of today’s proverb. We can blunt the destructive effects of regret in our lives. Regret is something that everyone struggles with. Depending on the situation or circumstances, the emotions of regret can linger for months or even years before one is able to refocus. Many of us are inclined to look back on what could have been or should have been. People can also tend to look behind them to “the good ol’ days,” when life may have seemed sweeter, simpler, and less frenetic.

 

But whatever might cause us to fixate on the past, Proverbs encourages us to look ahead. This is not because it’s bad or inappropriate to look back. We can learn a lot from our past mistakes, trauma, or the good times we enjoyed. In fact, we are encouraged to learn from our past by Scripture. However, Scripture calls us not to linger in the past but rather to glean from it and then look ahead.

 

The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1-2). We should set our gaze on the road before us and follow Jesus steadfastly. Let him be the focal point of your pathway in life. Run the race knowing that his Spirit is running with you and that he is ahead of you, waiting at the finish line.

 

There are many examples of this principle in Scripture. Can you imagine how differently history might have spoken of the Apostle Peter should he have been paralyzed by his denial of Jesus? Judas Iscariot took that path and it ended with his self-inflicted death. Peter recognized the forgiveness of Jesus and the power of another chance. He then went on to be a great leader in the early church. If you are struggling with your past, look to the One who has forgiven and called you forward in grace.