I don't know if you have ever experienced "buyer's remorse". It is the feeling you get when you have purchased something (especially something expensive) and you get away from the store and something like guilt sets in. You feel like maybe you shouldn't have bought it ... or maybe you should have bought the blue one instead of the green one ... or maybe you should have added one more option ... or ???
Anyway, there is such a thing as speaker's remorse. I get it almost every Sunday. It is that feeling of "I should have said it differently" or "I should have added this" or "Why did I forget to say that?" or "I should have thought about this other thing to put in there" ... you get the idea.
Sundays almost always bring speaker's remorse. I have talked to other Pastors about this. Some of us are more afflicted with this than others of us. I used to think it would subside the older I got and the more I spoke. It doesn't.
I wonder if Peter or Paul ever experienced it. I think Jeremiah probably did ... poor guy.
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I wonder if after speaking at Pentecost that Peter said, "Man, I wish I had put it this way", or "I forgot to say . . .", or "why didn't I follow my notes closer?", or "I forgot that passage in Joel."
I get speakers remorse sometimes. I think anyone who does any speaking get it. I have to remind my self that in most cases (but I admit not all) I prayed that my words would be God's words through me before I have spoken. If that is true and my motivation was to be faithful to the Word as led by the Holy Spirit to bring glory to God and not me and I am properly prepared, then I have to conclude that what I said was what God wanted me to say and the way he wanted me to say it.
Someone might have needed what I said the way I said it, or someone may not have needed to hear something I had planned to say. Either way, I think if we have pure motives, and are led by the Spirit as much as we can be - then what was said was what God Almighty wanted.
I figure if He can use a donkey to speak, He can use me if He wants to.
I have been there almost every Sunday. Let me encourage you - keep bringing the Word, do not get discouraged because the God of the universe is using your words in many ways, in many lives. You know how I know? Because in our small group almost every time we get together, someone mentions something you said from the week before - I find that incredible. Most folks do not remember what the announcements were, much less the bible study – unless the Holy Spirit impressed truth on their hearts.
Never give up on the pursuit of excellence, never give in to mediocrity in what you are called to do and never lose faith in the One who has faith in you.
Thanks my friend. You are an encouragment as always. God has definitely used you (your words) many times in my life.
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