"I wish I knew then, what I know now." Probably everyone has heard that expression. As an older person my friends and I often talk about our regrets. We wish we could get a "do over". But sadly, no, that is not going to happen. When we come to the end, whenever that is, we will all wish we had done many things differently.
Making The Most Of The Time
In Ephesians 5: 15-17 Paul tells us,
"Pay careful attention, then, to how you live—not as unwise people but as wise— making the most of the time, because the days are evil. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is." HCSB
Our lives are precious gifts and when we are young it is hard to notice the time passing by. We often don't "pay careful attention". We often don't "make the most of the time". Paul tells us to be wise. A wise person understands the will of God. A foolish person either doesn't understand God's will or doesn't care to understand.
Since none of us knows the hour or the day when our lives will end it is crucial not to waste one precious moment. If we are blessed with long lives we don't want to look back on a sea of regrets because we were foolish.
The world views making the most of your time differently than God does. The world tells us that we must make a lot of money, find love, do our own thing, do what makes us happy to find fulfillment. But what does God say to do with our lives?
God's Plan For Our Time
In Ephesians 2: 10 Paul says,
"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."
According to Paul we were created "for good works". Even before we were born God had planned what direction our lives should go. In Micah 6: 8 we are told what is good,
"He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?"
Only a life transformed by the Holy Spirit can understand wisdom. Only a life transformed by the cross can truly do justly, love mercy and walk humbly. Natalie Regoli puts it this way, "We are saved by His good work before we are called to our own good works."
I Thessalonians 5: 16-18 Paul tells us that God's will is for us to
"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; "
Young And Full Of Regrets
I remember as a young person far too often thinking about how unhappy I was, praying very little and not being grateful for the blessings that I had. Many regrets that I would have later would come from the fact that I was totally outside of the will of God.
Eventually I would learn that "having things my way" would make for a very unhappy, regret filled life. Turning my life over to God made the difference. As a dear friend put it to me so plainly one day, "You haven't done a very good job of running your life, maybe you should let God take over."
Seeking Perfection
Of course even after we come to a knowledge and fear of the Lord we will have regrets. We don't become perfect, but we become a person who seeks perfection. Our desire changes. We want to live a holy life for God. We want to be diligent Christians. Of course we fail many times, but we know that God in His great mercy forgives us and draws us back to Him.
Move Forward In Christ
So wherever you find yourself in your life, it isn't too late to make the most of your time. We can't undo our past, but we can move forward in Christ striving to be wise, hungering to do His will and not our own.
Be encouraged by the words of our Lord in Matthew 7: 7-8,
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."
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