Regret All, Yet None

Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8 (KJV)

He who was without sin also is without regrets. We are not this man - we have regrets. Regrets born of mistakes and poor choices. Once done they can’t be undone; instead, they can be used to fuel the future.  Fuel that powers a future full of grace, mercy, and change. The future can seem so far away, when we are living in the wake of a mistake, but we should remember the future comes as soon as the next word, the next breath, or the very next footstep. 

Who hasn’t made mistakes?  If you answered, “me” you can stop reading.  Have a nice day in your land of fantasy. For the rest of us, lets read on…

We all make poor choices

and mistakes along the way.

It’s not how you got here,

It’s how you finish that counts.

In the Book of Hebrews, chapter eleven we are given wonderful reminders of those who were asked to trust in    God in the midst of hard times and continue to move forward; the fathers of our faith. These people didn’t know  for sure what the future would hold and they all made poor choices and mistakes along the way. Then, at the beginning of chapter twelve, we are given the reason -for the historical review. With a single word, in a single breath we are instantly moved from the past to the future and encouraged to act for immediate change.  “Therefore”…. What a powerful word.  It means - as a result of that we now have this.

Let’s try an activity: (read first then stand up & try it) Imagine yourself on a road. You are facing in the direction of your past. You can see the twists and turns in the road, boulders and trees toppled down. Debris lines the side. Go ahead and look at it, recall the pain and the work it took to get past the various scenes. Take a deep breath in & out then say out loud – “Therefore”. Now turn around and look the other way. This way is clear, the pavement is smooth and even though you can’t see all the way to the end a person has appeared by your side wearing a uniform that looks like a park guide. He’s holding a map, a walkie talkie and his name tag simply reads, “J”. “Therefore” has instantly transported us. The past is gone; the future has come.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such great a cloud of witnesses,

let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,

who for the joy that was set before Him

endured the cross, despising the shame,

and has now sat down at the right hand of God.”

Hebrews 12:1-2  (NKJV)

With a single word we get a new start and a new hope. Following the journey of this verse, we are encouraged to take the next step and lay aside our weights.  Our past, full of mistakes and poor choices, can feel like a huge weight that holds us back. It’s interesting that the writer asks us to lay this weight aside instead of stating that God will remove the weight. This tells me, if we are weighted by our past that we are somehow holding on to the weight and have the ability to lay it down.  This weight is also grouped with sin. Even as we are so easily trapped by it, we are told here - we can put it down.

Whether you are familiar with Christian words or not, you should know the activity above represents the basic principles in our life with Christ; Asking forgiveness for our past sins, repentance (or turning), and choosing to walk forward with Jesus. Now, with the weight gone and sin set aside, building endurance for the journey ahead is the goal.

Without noting why or what the inspiration was, I dated these words from 2015:

Don’t rely on the time you were in the spot light

Don’t think about the time everything went wrong

It’s not how you got here

It’s how you finish that counts



“With laurel crowned as conqueror,  There he lived in joy and honor.”

Geoffrey Chaucer - The Knight's Tale, circa 1385

Do you know what that gold item is on this man’s head?  It’s a laurel wreath. It’s the subject of the phrase, “Resting on one’s laurels”.  “The origins of the phrase lie in ancient Greece, where laurel wreaths were symbols of victory and status. As to the phrase's meaning, to 'rest on one's laurels' isn't considered at all a praiseworthy strategy - it suggests a decline into laziness and lack of effort.”  http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/rest-on-his-laurels.

Neither resting on laurels, laziness nor time in the spotlight is mentioned in the verse from Hebrews. No, instead we hear the words run, race, and endurance. Pride, sin and our past are no longer items to be overcome as we make the turn, ready to be guided and trained by “J”. All of us have our own path to this place called here. Even Jesus faced hardships in His journey to the cross. He endured so much more than we ever will.

“You’ve all been to the stadium, you’ve seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; only one wins. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that is forever gold. Run to win.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (MSG)

In the stadium where the athletes race, only one can win.  In our race we can all win our race because each of us has our own path to the finish line. We each have our own mistakes and weights. Your trap of sin is probably different than mine. But… that is all behind us. Forgiveness given from our faith in Jesus erases the past and turns them into stepping stones for our future. Jesus is the one who allows us to finish strong by building our faith in and through those hard times.  I’ve had my moments I’m not proud of but I’ve laid them down and left them behind. Because of the wisdom and growth provided by God  during those times, I can say I regret all, yet none. 

Click here to see a video of an incredible finish https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=cPQesYEf3rE

Today’s Prayer

Are we sure that we have a clear conscience

and a true desire to live honorably in every way? Let us be urged to pray for all of us so that Jesus may be restored daily in each of us. Now… may the God of peace who, through the eternal promises, equips us with strength for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through our faith Jesus Christ. Grace be with us all. Amen. From  Hebrews 13; 18-25 (NIV)