Don’t we all harbor regrets in our lives? We all make mistakes. We all flounder in a world of doubts and the misdirection of poor human advice. Oh, to put our sorrows, regrets behind us and push forward, doing that which is right in the sight of God Almighty must be our goal. “I want to live my life so that my nights are not full of regrets” (D. H. Lawrence, 1885 – 1930).
As we ponder regrets, we can imagine that even the illustrious apostle Paul must have had inner regrets.
Yet few men, young or old, have been so furious in persecution as was Saul of Tarsus; and the fact that he, so young, entered on the work of persecution in the manner he did… He “made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and, haling men and women,” he tore them from their homes, and “committed them to prison” (Acts 8:3)… He “punished” that is, scourged them “in every synagogue.” (Life of the Apostle Paul by Albert Barnes, 30)
With zeal that few men can muster, Saul of Tarsus, later the fearless, matchless apostle Paul, performed many acts against the church. How did he overcome past negative feelings, past actions and finally to prevail?
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14). Paul, while in the flesh did not fully possess (apprehend) his final reward. He put his past behind. He did not dwell on it in a way as to take away from his goal. He pressed forward. This should be our goal also, to forget, to put aside our regrets and thus to prevail. “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken” (Proverbs 15:13).
It is a human factor to regret. I would wonder about a person who said he made no mistakes and who has no regrets in his life. With faith in our Savior, Jesus the Christ, and the promise of the prize, let us live in peace with fewer and fewer regrets.
