There is a question that all people eventually ask. Do you have any regrets in your life? This is a loaded question as we all make mistakes in our life, we all question which decision we should make, we all wonder if we have done the right thing. But the real question is, at the end of your life are the mistakes, wrong choices, and missed opportunities regret, or are they lessons that shaped us into the people that we are?
If we look at our life as a series of lessons instead of a life full of regrets, can we say at the end of our life that we have no regrets? Could it be a possibly that you could look back and have no regrets, to know you did the best you could with the life you were given? I believe there are a couple ways that we can change our way of thinking so that we don’t look at our life as a series of regrets.
The first thing being that we focus each day on small acts of kindness. My pastor said once that people always say, “when I have more money I will give more” or, “when I get this promotion I can volunteer more”, no matter what happens it’s always, when I. Instead of waiting for something big to happen to you, do small acts of kindness for those around you. Instead of binge watching Netflix, take that time and help your neighbor, do something kind for your spouse, volunteer at the local shelters. But putting off helping others because you don’t have time is simply an excuse you make. I make these statements as I do this every weekend. Even though I normally have all the time in the world on the weekends because my husband is studying, I still don’t get up and help those around me. Complaints of being tired, or just wanting to relax creep up in my mind every weekend. These thoughts, while they may be true, lead me to be unproductive and not utilize my full potential.
So my challenge going forward is to push myself to step out of my comfort zone and start helping those around me. I don’t want to look back at the end of my life and wonder what I could have done differently. To live a life that is meaningful and full of hope and selflessness is to live a life of no regrets. Matthew 25:45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ When you take the time to help someone, you are really helping the Lord. You are only given one life, make sure you to take the time to help those around you.
The second thing you can do is stay humble. Humility goes a long way in looking back at your life with no regrets. People who spend their lives in a constant state of jealousy, who seek vengeance, who live a life full of lies and cheating to get to the top, those people will one day look back at their lives with regret for what they have done. They will regret stepping on top of someone else to achieve success, they will regret not forgiving those who have wronged them, and they will regret not being supportive to those around you. Stay humble in all circumstances, stay humble knowing that you are doing the best you can, just like everyone else around you. Ephesians 4:2 states, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.”
My challenge for myself and you in this is to remember that we won’t always be the one acknowledged, we won’t always get what we want, there will always be someone out there who is prettier, smarter, and more accomplished than you. Does that mean you don’t have value? NO! But it does help to recognize that we all need to be humble and treat others with kindness and respect.
Third and finally, my suggestion is to take risks. My husband and I took a huge risk moving across the country so he could pursue his dream of going to medical school. That move took everything I had in me. I left knowing I would only see my family a couple times a year, instead of every couple weeks. I left knowing that I would miss out on big events in the lives of my friends and family. I left knowing I would have to sacrifice my nights, weekends, fun trips, and finances to help my husband to accomplish his dream. This was the biggest risk I had ever taken, and it has been hard, but it has been worth every moment. It has strengthened my marriage, it has helped me grow up, and it has truly made me grateful for every moment I get with my loved ones.
I don’t regret my decision to move out here, and I am excited instead of fearful of our moves in the future because I know that with each step, I learn and grow. With each risk, we challenge ourselves and our situation, with each risk we become a better version of ourselves.
What can you do today, that is a risk you know you should take, that you haven’t? What can you do to achieve the life you’ve always wanted? God will be there every step of the way, so walk out in faith, not in fear!
What do you do to live a life without regrets? Any advice I should implement in my own life? I’d love to hear from you!
Have a blessed and wonderful day!
