The Sting of regret

   

When I think of the life I have lived so far there are so many regrets and things I would change. More often than not when I am lost in thought all I can do is replay these regrets in my mind. All the disappointment, fears, longing, heartbreak, and sadness. You name it and it's there and as much as I try to move on or get over it,  it's like a pesky mosquito who comes back and stings me again and again. I can hear the warning buzzing sound but even after I try to swat it away, one always finds a way to bite me.  After the bite, you live with the itch and soreness for days and before you know it you have more bites than you can deal with.  Regret can easily overcome you. 

"Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. see what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourself, what indignation, what alarm, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. (2 Corinthians 7: 10-11)

The worst thing about living in regret is that everything your regretting most of the time is something you wish you would have done differently, at least for me. 

Sometimes I can hear God whispering that if I would have done things differently I probably would not have the good things I currently have in my life.  So although I hate the sting of the mosquito of regret, I am also aware, its sting is its way to survive and they do it out of necessity and even the sting can be something positive. 

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" (Isaiah 43:18-19")

I know that each decision I have made that I regret was made for a reason at that time and was done out of necessity or circumstance. Just like today and every day I need to make a choice to enjoy each day and not keep reliving past regrets.

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. " (1 Peter 5:10-11)