Meditations on God

Regret’s Warning
Regret hurts for a reason.

It is life’s way of telling us to do better.

Regret is the pain of our past errors rising up within us to urge us to not make the same mistakes again.

It is there to give us a second chance.

If we heed regret’s warning, it is like starting life anew.

We get to experience what life would have or could have been like if we had made better choices.

These opportunities do not come often, and when they do, they typically do not last long.

We must seize upon them when they arise as if our lives depend on it because, in a way, they do.

The regret we feel now, if it causes us to change course for the better, is regret we do not have to feel later.
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September 20, 2023

change, choice, decisions, life, regret
The Trap Of Self Pity
Self pity is a trap.

It is like quicksand for the soul.

Not only does it drag you down into darkness, but it also pulls others down with you.

It steals the light and the joy from your life and your presence.

It makes you miserable and miserable to be around.

None of this is to say that you cannot be sad, hurt, or suffer grief, remorse, or regret.

These are different from self pity in that self pity is a choice to feel these beyond their usefulness.

Life can be difficult.

It can be tragic, heartbreaking, and baffling.

However you feel as the result of life’s challenges is how you feel, but do not make it worse than it already is by feeling sorry for yourself or expecting others to do the same.
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September 19, 2023

grief, life, pain, self pity, suffering, trauma
Trying Changes You
You will never truly know yourself unless you test your limitations.

This means stepping out of your comfort zone and doing things that are frightening.

There is no courage, after all, without there first being fear.

And the only way to know how far you can go is to try to go further than you are capable of.

You cannot know your limitations without trying to push past them.

In the process, you will likely find that you are capable of far greater things than you expected.

Your perceived limitations are based on your past experience, your relationships, and the beliefs you have inherited from others, but none of these factors tells the whole story.

You are so much more than what you imagine yourself to be, but you will never know unless you try things you may fail at.

And when, not if, you fail, try again and again and again.

The trying is what changes you.

The effort is what forces you to grow.

Your limitations, you will find, are not fixed, but fluid.
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September 18, 2023

change, effort, growth, limitations, trying
Taking Life As It Comes
Imagine you are a warrior in battle.

You have a shield and a sword at your disposal.

When you inevitably find yourself in an altercation with another warrior, you decide to use only your shield and you hold it directly against your body, passively defending every attack.

As the other warrior swings his sword at you, your shield prevents you from being cut, but because it is held directly against your body, you receive the full impact of every strike.

With the force of every blow, you are being beaten down and eventually you crumble under the pressure of the attacks.

In spite of your defensiveness, your passivity has been your demise.

This is what it is like to live without intention and to simply let life happen to you.

Even if you make no explicit mistakes, this strategy of taking life as it comes is no way to live.

To live is to act, to push forward with direction and purpose, and to make your own path in spite of what comes your way to try to stop you or cut you down.

*inspired by a conversation with a friend in jiu-jitsu
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September 17, 2023

direction, intention, life, purpose
The Best We Can
Life is not easy.

If we are being honest with ourselves, most of us do not really know what we are doing most of the time.

We are simply making the best decisions we can with the information we have.

We are trying our best.

And we will often be wrong.

We will make poor decisions.

We will make mistakes.

We will hurt others and even ourselves.

Quite often, we will make things worse instead of better.

And yet, in spite of all of our failings, all of our errors in judgement, and all of our shortcomings, we keep going.

But we could all use a little bit more grace along the way.

We could all use a little bit more compassion, understanding, and forgiveness.

Life is not easy, after all, and we are all doing the best we can with the information we have.
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September 16, 2023

choice, choices, compassion, decisions, forgiveness, understanding

Regret’s Warning

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The Trap Of Self Pity

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Trying Changes You

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Taking Life As It Comes

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The Best We Can

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