The University of Colorado's football team made a costly stumble in their season opener on August 26, 2001, losing to Fresno State 24–22 at home. While it wasn’t a glaring tactical blunder like a botched snap or missed field goal, the loss itself—especially to a non-power conference opponent—was a major setback in the eyes of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) rankings.
Despite rebounding and winning the Big 12 Championship later that season, the early blemish on their record made it nearly impossible to climb high enough in the rankings to secure a national title shot. The mistake cost them the chance to play in the national championship.
When coach Gary Barnett was asked about it, it's said that he expressed the following sentiment that they weren't going to dwell on it, but rather learn from the experience, and not blame what’s already past.
He then went about the business of building up his team with an eye to the future, saying, “We just emphasized that we didn’t want Fresno to beat us twice. We had to go to the next game and not trip on something that was behind us.”
We all must indeed live in the present. But what about the mistakes we deeply regret? How do we deal with past sins and failures that continue to weigh on our minds?
To address the sorrow we may still feel, Oswald Chambers said, “Never be afraid when God brings back your past. Let your memory come. Anger, criticism, and regret are means that God uses to fulfill His purpose. God will turn the ‘living memory’ into a means of mental discipline [food and spiritual growth] that is wonderfully suited for the future.”
The psalmist asked God to search his heart and see if there was any offensive way in him, so that he might confess it and receive forgiveness. Then he added, “Lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23–24).
Whether blunders great or small, God does not want us to be trapped by the past. He wants us to learn from our mistakes and experience freedom today and in the days to come. Regroup for a winning season!
"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead ..." (Philippians 3:13, ESV).
"For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it" (Hebrews 12:11, ESV).
"Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning" (Proverbs 9:9, ESV).
Cary Grant turned down director Robert Broccoli's offer to play James Bond. Regret it? Not so much. He already had a great career and would not have had time to do more than a single film. An ongoing franchise would have been out of the question. Broccoli ended up with Sean Connery who turned the franchise into a veritable brand.
Will Smith turned down the role of Neo in THE MATRIX. Regret it? He says no. “I would have absolutely messed it up." Smith went on to explain, "At that point I wasn’t smart enough as an actor to let the movie be—whereas Keanu was.” At least he's "smart enough" now to see that.
Michael Madsen turned down the role of Vincent Vega in the highly acclaimed film PULP FICTION. Instead, John Travolta famously took the role and re-launched his career into the stratosphere. Did Michael regret it? Michael "Who?" Nuff said.
Sean Connery, who so fortuitously won the role of Bond, went on to have a glorious career. When offered the role of Gandalf in THE LORD OF THE RINGS he declined. Regret it? You betcha. Not because he needed more notoriety, but because he passed on the perk of 15 percent of the worldwide box office receipts. Had he played the role he would have pocketed as much as $400 million!
Hollywood heartthrob Steve McQueen turned down the role of Sundance in BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID because Paul Newman wouldn't give him top billing (if he had, would the movie have been called THE SUNDANCE KID AND BUTCH CASSIDY?). He later turned down the role of Popeye Doyle in THE FRENCH CONNECTION, much to the delight of Gene Hackman who won an Oscar for the role.
Finally, McQueen also turned down Francis Ford Coppola's offer to film APOCALYPSE NOW because he wouldn't budge on his $3 million per movie take on the deal. Martin Sheen was happy to fill the void, to the delight of critics worldwide. Regret it? Who knows. McQueen seemed determined to live his life on his own terms. He left his mark on Hollywood in his short life, but may have gone down as one of the greatest ever he had ventured through these other doors of opportunity.
These great "stars" are not the only ones who have been offered the "role of a lifetime," only to walk away empty handed. Each and every one of us has been offered the role not only of a lifetime, but one that promises to impact eternity itself.
The Director of the Universe wants to make you a star performer in your own sequel to THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD. It's the story of how God's love has radically changed your heart. It's a story of how this new transformed you becomes a channel of love and grace by battling the dark forces of need and despair. It's a story that will be viewed with great interest by this world as well as the one to come. Will you accept the role of a lifetime? Or will you live (and die) to regret it?
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men" (Colossians 3:23).
It has been said that the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is today.
Why waste a single second more regretting what you didn't do in years or days past. Start today! Start learning. Start growing. Start loving. Start living.
"Remember what it says: "Today when you hear his voice, don't harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled" (Hebrews 3:15, NLT) "For God says, "At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you." Indeed, the "right time" is now. Today is the day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2, NLT).
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