"Left Undone" by Jars of Clay is a song about regret and the desire to make up for past mistakes. The lyrics speak of the choir singing from the top of their lungs, representing a sense of hope and redemption, while the singer is left standing outside in the cold, feeling lost and uncertain of which way to go. The song explores the idea of looking back at one's life and realizing that things did not turn out the way they were expected to. The singer admits to becoming a man he would not have respected if he had met himself in the past. He is haunted by the pieces of his life that have collected over time in the shape of a smoking gun, symbolizing the damage that he has caused. The chorus expresses the singer's desire to make up for lost time and to forsake all that he has done and left undone. He traces the roots of old cathedrals to see where they would go, symbolizing his search for meaning and direction in life. He wants to redeem himself and become a better person. In the end, the singer decides to leave the firing line and move forward, hoping to make amends for his past mistakes. The song is a powerful reflection on the human experience of regret and the desire for forgiveness and redemption.
