Regrets. We've Had A Few.

For the next couple of days, I'm going to be writing about how we can be set free from some of the things that might be haunting us and keeping us from living an abundant life in Jesus.  

Today, we're going to spend some time talking about regret, so I thought I would share a few of my own regrets.  

I regret not buying Microsoft stock before the 90's.  I also regret not buying Apple stock before the 2000's.   

I also regret kissing this one girl when I was fifteen, who was missing a couple of teeth---a fact I didn't really notice until it was too late.

I seriously regret my hairstyles in the 80's---sort of parted down the middle and feathered on both sides.  I could go on... but I won't.  I regret saying too much already.

There is a good side of regret, according to Psychology Today magazine.  Regret can help us make sense of the world--when we see both the positive and negative implications of our actions.  

However, the same study also studied the effects of long-term regret and found that they were devastating.  

People who are obsessed with regret suffer from higher rates of depression, chronic stress, weakened immune systems, depleted hormones and a variety of mental, emotional and physical maladies.  All of this contributes to a shortened lifespan.

As it turns out, one of the slowest ways to die is to live in regret.

This isn't something new.  The Apostle Paul wrote about this very thing in 2 Corinthians 7:10 when he said, "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." 

This is the choice that we have--to live in hopeless regret or hope-filled life.  We can choose godly sorrow when we make a mistake, or suffer loss, or choose poorly, and let God redeem the whole mess.  Or we can choose worldly sorrow and begin to wither away and die both inside and out. 

May you choose to cover your regrets in godly sorrow and turn them over to God to be redeemed, restored and made whole.  May you be filled with hope and abundant life as you let them go and are set free.  

And may the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.