There's a loaded statement! Life without regrets? Is that even possible?
As I look back over my life I see many things I wish were not in my past but alas, there they are sitting there like big sores on my life!! YUCK! How did they get there? Well, unfortunately, I put them there. In some cases, I lacked parental leadership, spiritual maturity, role models, etc. Well, I can blame whoever or whatever I want but ultimately, I did it!!
I see in my family that with every generation the spiritual maturity deepens and the resources available to us to grow in Christ have become greater. Now let me clarify that we've always had the Bible and that should be our first resource for any problem in life but I do believe God uses great men and women who are surrendered to the Holy Spirit to help us along the way with great books that are full of Biblical advice and ways to help us get through difficulties and learn how to make wise decisions. There's nothing wrong with that. I could have used some of those earlier in my life and some more mature leadership.
When I look back to my high school years, and some beyond, I am amazed at what a poor job I did of living out my faith before others. I would probably be ashamed if I met one of them today and asked them who they thought I was then. I knew the truth and had received the gift of salvation offered me through grace alone. Though most of my peers knew I was a "Christian" I'm not sure they knew what that meant in my life. I made bad choices and today I live with those choices in the way of regret and shame and wish I could make them go away. That however, is the natural consequence of sin.
I can redeem those wasted years by living fully for Christ in the now. As I do have contact with those from my past I have the opportunity to tell them that my life is different today and that whatever they saw in my earlier in my life should in no way reflect who I am in Christ today. Am I bold enough? Do I have enough courage? You bet I do! I brought shame on the name of my dear Savior who redeemed my life. How could I do less than proclaim Him now? I just publicly proclaimed it on a website where my high school friends can freely read it. I pray they do! By taking every opportunity to share with those around me the truth of the Gospel I can leave my regrets at the cross and go forward, pressing toward the goal. Satan would love to bog me down with my regrets but Christ died to free me from my past.
Got regrets? Turn them into opportunities for the Gospel. Let Christ dwell in you richly so that you can do no less than shout from the rooftops that Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life and mean it with your life! Live for Him in obedience to His Word, taking every resource available to grow and learn how to glorify God with your life. This is a life with no regrets!
Living every moment to the full for Christ,
Bronni
