When God Regrets

From a personal and a reader’s perspective it is essential that we pay close attention to when the Bible says that God repented or regretted a decision that He made regarding mankind. It’s not that God can make a mistake, but its important that we try as much as humanly possible try to probe closely into the scripture and try to experience how God feels when we rebel - it breaks His heart. God’s heart has been breaking now for thousands of years.

We know as parents the feelings we have when our children disobey us after numerous times of being warned not to do something, or they fail to do something we have told them to do. How many parents have had their hearts broken because of wayward children. And to be fair, how many children have been brokenhearted because of their parents bad behavior. The pendulum swings both ways. Well God’s pain over the evil of man is a grief we can never imagine. He sees this worldwide evil all at once. There should be no wonder why he destroyed the ancient world with the waters of a flood during the days of Noah. He could no longer endure the wickedness of man on the earth.

So He purged the evil by getting rid of him (Gen 6:6).

Well now the earth is more numerous than it ever has been in human history. There are over seven billion people here. Well that means there is even more evil now than there was back in Noah's day. God's judgement is not far away people! Many people question the goodness of God - wondering why does He allow evil to continue. Why doesn't He makes things right? God is long suffering and slow to anger which is a good thing for mankind. That is why He is with holding His judgement - for now.

Somehow in the mind of God there is harmony in both decisions - In delighting in creating Mankind, and then regretting and being grieved that He made them because of what man had become - a sinner. Both acts by God are part of His providence. There is no dichotomy. When man does what is right, it is to his benefit and it glorifies the Lord. When man commits evil, it is a curse to man and grief and anger with God. Believe or not evil is a servant of the Lord - an unwilling servant. God's plans are never ruined because of man's disobedience. Why? Because He is Lord of all and He navigates all decisions ultimately to serve His sovereign will and purposes (Rom 8:28).

Herein lies the difference. When man commits deeds of righteousness, He is really free and God's grace and mercy rests upon Him. When man is bent on evil, God's wrath is on Him (John 3:36). The Bible says that God is angry with the wicked everyday (Psalm 7:11)! A terrifying thought.

So I ask the question, "Is your life one that God delights in, or one that He regrets?" Only the person reading this article knows for sure. If one is honest with themselves, they know whether their life has been pleasing to God or regrettable. For those that are blind to the truth of your life, you need the divine revelation of Jesus Christ to invade your soul so that you're no longer walking in darkness of your sins, but you can be transformed into His marvelous light (2 Peter 2:9).