Living Life With No Regret

Have you ever looked back on some of the foolish things you have done? Have you ever thought, ‘I wasted so much time and energy on a wrong attitude or hurt I inflicted on others?’ Have you looked back on the good things you have left undone?

If you said ‘yes’ to any of those questions, then you know the pain of regret. Bronnie Ware was an Australian nurse who cared for patients in their last days. She wrote a book titled, ‘The Top Five Regrets of Dying.’ Here is her list:

1.        “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” This was the most common regret of all. When your life is almost over and you look back, it’s easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled due to choices they had made or not made.

2.       “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.” Many missed their children’s youth and partner’s companionship because of their work existence.

3.       “I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.” Some developed illnesses from bitterness, resentment, keeping silent, or just trying to ‘keep the peace’ with others.

4.       “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.” Many got so caught up in their own lives they let friendships slip by. It all comes down to love and relationships in the end- not money, things, or accomplishments.

5.        “I wish I had let myself be happier.” Ware says that many willingly remained in bondage of patterns and habits that were familiar rather than choosing happiness and contentment because they would have to ‘change.’

Take a moment and look at your life. Now imagine you are at the end of your life. Would you have regrets? Are there relationships you need to renew or reconcile? Are there patterns and habits that need to be changed? Are you working at the neglect of your family? Are you living towards your dream?

I’d like to add three more statements that I believe many Christians would list if they were at the end of their lives:

• ‘I wish I had spent more time serving God and people and less time serving myself.’
• ‘I wish I had told a lot more people about Jesus- and helped other believers to do so.’ Nothing else comes higher on Jesus’ priority list than this (Matthew 28:19-20).
• ‘I wish I would have thought a lot more about heaven than I did about earth’ (Colossians 3:1-2).

What are your regrets? If you’re still alive and reading this, you can change the habits and patterns that caused them. We are all dying. Some of us have fewer days left than others. Let’s make every day count for Christ.

Blessings,
Pastor Mark "The Bru'" Brunott