Regret Lane vs. Restoration Blvd.

Last week my family attended a reunion in Texas. It's always good to see everyone after a long time and have fun together. It's also a time of reflection and remembrance of those who have gone from this world to the next one in Heaven.

Sometimes when reminiscing it's easy to get into the trap of "what if". We ask ourselves what could we have done to have spent more time with loved ones or appreciate them more. Or how could we have made better choices in our life.

But God doesn't want us to spend our life in regret or sorrow, rather to look ahead at the future He has for us.

He tells us in Joel 2:25-27, "So I will restore to you the years the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you, you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be put to shame. Then you will know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the Lord your God and there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame."

Even though our past years are gone, He tells us he will restore the years the locust has eaten. No matter what has happened or what we may regret, God can make all that up to us with our future if we let Him have control of our lives.

• Our first step in navigating the highway of regret is to not wallow in it.

• Next, when we are attacked with those feelings or thoughts, we can stop them by reminding ourselves of Joel 2:25.

• Third, learn from past regrets and make any changes necessary for our present and future.

Remember, His people will never be put to shame.

Do you have an example of overcoming this curve in your life?

Construction vs. Destruction

Construction barrels. It seems they are everywhere. No matter where I go,

the road is being worked on and all the traffic is re-routed and hazards have to be navigated. But where would we be without progress, right? We would still be on the old broken down, pot-hole filled asphalt we were complaining about before.

When we come across these road projects in our vehicle, we have to slow down or mayhem will result. You cannot navigate a highway full of concrete barricades and heavy machinery while traveling at high speed without a tragedy occuring.

The same thing is true in our decisions. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

If we plunge ahead when making decisions, whether large or small, we can run into a lot of trouble. For example, if I am facing a decision about a major purchase and I rush into it because it sounds good, but I don't have peace about it, I just ran into a construction barrel.

Just as those warning signs are on the highway to slow us down because of danger ahead, that check in our spirit is a warning sign to lean on the Lord and not our own understanding. Doing things our own way if we don't have God's peace about it can lead to destruction.

After road repairs are completed, all the barricades are removed and we travel on a smooth surface free of potential hazards. All the warnings and slow travel were worth it now that it is over and we can enjoy the benefits of the new highway. Likewise, once our decisions are made in with the light of God's reflection, all the carefulness and time we put into it will be worth it.  We can enjoy the result of making choices according to our trust in Him.

What are some hazards you have faced when making difficult decisions?