No Regrets

Yesterday’s sermon gave me a strong reminder to watch out for making excuses that started out with “If only . . . .” such as, “If this had not happened, then I would . . . usually be a better or do better things.” Regret must be one of the saddest words regarding the things left out of life, or mistakes made, or even events out of my control.

The message was clear: do not use those regrets as an excuse for not moving forward, doing better, living as I should right now. I’m getting a lot of that these days. A TV show featured a clip about a man born with no limbs. By the grace of God, he praised Jesus Christ for his fulfilled hope to be coach for a football team. He was discouraged at times but kept on pushing toward his goals.

This morning’s devotional reminds me again about living with no regrets . . .

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16–17)

What does Paul mean that he is not ashamed? My Bible dictionary says it is to feel shame for something, adding that this term can include guilt, embarrassment or remorse. The rest of Paul’s explanation gives his reasons for not being ashamed; he focuses on the power of God and how faith is revealed and lived out in the lives of those who believe Him. Why would anyone ever feel shame about that?

I’m thinking proud people have this problem. Believing the Gospel means also being convinced of my utter sinfulness. I’m guilty, embarrassed and remorseful over my sin yet pride tries to make me feel otherwise and make excuses for it, such as those that start with “If only . . . .”

Instead of excuses or trying to find reasons why I’m not the godly person I’d like to project, I should boast that I live by faith, that I have the righteousness of Jesus Christ that comes through faith. Even though I have sinned, God has forgiven me and continues to work in me His redeeming grace. He gives peace over those regrets. He gives humility instead of guilt or shame, embarrassment or remorse.

Humility is not about focusing on the dumb, foolish, sinful stuff; it is not focusing on me but thinking about the Lord Jesus Christ and relying on His grace. He gave me Himself so I can focus on others, pray and care for them and meet their needs. Paul called himself the “chief of sinners” yet his focus was first on Jesus and then on the people God brought into his life.

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Lord, You also remind me that my slides into regret and shame are just another way to put ME in the center. If I cannot find any good stuff, focusing on the junk keeps me from humility and being unselfish. This battle between Spirit and flesh rages on. Thank You for the grace to recognize it and the promise that You will win all wars. Fill me with Your Spirit that I might praise Your goodness all day long.

Today’s thankful list . . .

The power of the God shown in salvation’s amazing plan.

Grace to believe Him.

Faith to live in His will.

The energy to finish a long to-do list.

A lovely summer day.

A handful of Roma tomatoes off our one tomato plant.

Grilled cheese sandwiches.

Fresh baked bread.

Clean clothes.

Never Ashamed

When Israel was in captivity in Babylon, they cried out to God saying, “The Lord has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me” (Isaiah 49:14). They were alone and devastated, without the sense of His presence.

Even today, weary souls can feel like that. In my humanness, I tend to equate the presence of God with joy and pleasant emotions. However, He says that He will never leave me or forsake me. My emotions are not the proof of that; His character and faithfulness make it so. Besides, He is an omnipresent God who loves His people enough to die for us.

Yet there are times when life presents great challenges and I have to remind myself of His promises. He is here with me, whether it seems so or not. This is the value of the written Word of God. Without it, how would I know His mind? How would I know what He says and that what is true when my emotions deny such realities?

This morning’s reading takes me to this verse, particularly the last sentence. God is reminding His people Israel, who were in captivity, of His plans for them and their restoration.

Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground they shall bow down to you, and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who wait for me shall not be put to shame. (Isaiah 49:23)

As I read it, I thought that I really do not care if anyone bows down to me or licks the dust of my feet, but I suppose if I was in bondage, I might. I’m reading The Hiding Place, the story of Corrie ten Boom and her imprisonment during WWII. She may have felt a desire for vindication, or to have these people bow to her, even though much later God granted her the grace to forgive those who held her captive. 

This verse promises no shame for those who wait for God. Yet Corrie and her sister trusted Him and were put to shame, at least for awhile. I’m thinking that the verse is not about shameful circumstances. Christians are not exempt from those. Instead, it is about never being ashamed because of waiting on God. Eventually, He will fulfill His promises and no one who trusts Him will finish their life saying that they are ashamed of their faith. Even in the darkest places a person could be, as Corrie was in the camps during the holocaust, God did not forsake her. She learned that in ways that most of us will never experience. 

Eventually she was vindicated and released, telling her story and blessing millions who have read it. This encourages me as does this verse from Isaiah. God wants me to wait on Him, trust Him. Life can be difficult at times, and I might even experience horrible things, but in the end, I will never be put to shame for trusting God. 

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Lord, truly faith is a precious gift. My trials are nothing like those who are put in tiny cement cells simply for calling You their God and naming the name of Jesus Christ. Yet even if that happened, Your promises hold true because You are true. You never leave or forsake Your people. In the end, we are more than conquerors because of the One who loves us.

Without shame

If it were up to God, none of His people would ever be ashamed or put to shame, but sometimes we do it to ourselves.

My sister told me of a time with her ladies Bible study group. They were talking about sharing their faith with others and some of the reasons why they failed to do so. My sister said, “Sometimes I don’t because I am ashamed of Christ.”

She was dismayed when the other women said, “Oh no, not you” — in great reluctance to let her confess or be guilty of it, perhaps because it was a reflection of their own excuses. Even as I think about it, saying that out loud makes me feel terrible. We love Jesus and do not want to admit anything that hints otherwise, even if it is sometimes true.

The Apostle Paul knew the promises of God about being ashamed. This is not part of His plan for His people. In these verses, Paul says the opposite of being ashamed is being bold.

For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death.  (Philippians 1:19-20)

As I think about what it is like to “be ashamed” of Christ, it seems that for me it is not exactly the description of what is going on. When I do not want to share Him with others, I’m thinking more of myself and that I don’t want to admit how much I need Him. I am ashamed or embarrassed to confess that I am a sinner and helpless to do anything about sin without the saving power of Jesus. I am not ashamed of Him so much as I am ashamed of myself.

Yet all through the Bible, God promises that His people will not be ashamed. In most of those promises, He is talking about our status before others and how others think of us. 

Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers; they shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.”  (Isaiah 49:23)

I’m trying to wrap my head around the connection between being disillusioned, disappointed, or disgraced in the eyes of the world because I am a Christian, and being ashamed to tell others that I am one. Part of it is that many people think Christians park their brains at the church door and cannot think rationally. While that is not true, I don’t want to be thought of in that way. That is pride.

Other shameful accusations include stuff like, “Your religion is a crutch” and “The Bible is just made up by a bunch of men” and “Jesus was a good teacher, but no more than that.” People without faith cannot make sense of what Christians believe; therefore, Christians must have their heads on backwards. Such accusations put up my defenses.

However, the answer to all this is not a verbal defense before people without faith. Unless the Holy Spirit opens their hearts, Christianity will never make sense to them anyway, no matter what I say. Instead, I need to think like Paul thought.

He said, “For I know. . . .” His statements were not opinions but based on the revelation of God. The Word of God is true. It is safe to believe it, even when others cannot or will not. Also, knowing reminds me that “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is knowing that God is true, that His promises are true, and that nothing can prevent His will from being accomplished.

Being ashamed is doubting all that. Being ashamed is more concerned about what people think than what God thinks. It is also a pride thing in that shame is being more worried about my own reputation than remembering that God is God. Those who mock Him will eventually find out their error and then they will be ashamed.