I woke up a few minutes before my alarm this morning. That’s always pleasant – it makes me think I may be got a full night’s sleep. Either that or the security guard that opens and closes the door of our apartment complex (just down from my window) got a phone call… I looked at the clock and saw my alarm was about to go off.
I laid there, delighted that it was a new morning, looking forward to crawling out of my warm bed and getting ready for the day. Just kidding. What actually went through my head were the words, “I don’t want to get out of bed yet.” Then I realized how ridiculous what was, and I responded to myself in mental conversation: “You never want to get out of bed in the morning.” Just because I get up early on a regular basis doesn’t mean it’s easy for me.
I wake up early because I have discovered the secret to living life without regrets.
I’m not really old enough to understand regret very well. What I do know, though, is that thought I feel disappointed about things I’ve said or done in my immaturity, I don’t really have true, deep regret. Last September I wrote in my journal,
I think that true “regret” comes from a lifestyle of choosing to disobey what you know – in your current maturity level – is wrong. That’s why an immature believer can live without experiencing a lot of regret and a mature one can live the same way and look back on what they’ve missed with feelings of regret.
Our level of regret coincides with our level of understanding God’s will for our lives.
So, how can we ensure that we’re living a life that is free of regret? Let me show you what I’ve learned in a 3-2-1 process.
Step 3: Fulfill what He has for you to do today. Obey. But to do that, you must…
Step 2: Find out what He has for you to do today. Discover. But to do that, you must…
Step 1: Develop intimacy – a deeper relationship – with Him. Abide.
Abiding in Jesus and abiding with Jesus requires one thing more than anything else: Time.
Maybe I could say that the motivation to live a life of no regrets got me out of bed this morning.
But I think it would be better said that I got out of bed because I’m in love with Someone.
And living with no regrets…. that’s just a side affect of this delightful relationship!
Do you agree with my statements about regret? What has kept you from living life with regret?