“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62)
Leaning to our own understanding is never wise. We do no better in second-guessing our past than we do in mapping out our future. If God has something to tell us regarding our tomorrow or our yesterday – so be it; but our own thoughts on any matter are vain. “The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man, that they are vanity.” (Psalm 94:11)
Paul had a lot to be sorry about when it came to his past. He needed to repent of the horrible choices he made when he was in charge of his life. “Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and injurious” (1 Tim. 1:13) But having repented, he would not look back, only forward. “… But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before” (Philippians 3:13)
Unless we learn to be sober in our thinking, we can open ourselves up to the destroyer who would devour us with regret. “If only you had played your cards right, your life would have been so different.” Well, that is for the Lord to judge. Unless we have the Lord’s clear light on any subject we do best to leave our judgment of ourself to the day when He will bring all things to light. While Paul refused to see his life through the eyes of others, neither would he judge himself.
“But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man’s judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” (1 Corinthians 4:3-5)
God has not given us eyes in the back of our head. He would have us put our hand to the plow and not turn back. There is life to be lived today. Focusing on a past that cannot be undone is as foolish as worrying over a future that may not come to pass. Take no thought for tomorrow or yesterday. Live in fellowship and friendship with Christ today. It is all you have.