Redeeming Regrets

I recently shared a message at Life Church called Redeeming Regrets, and had several people ask me for the notes. I decided to go ahead and post a version of my notes on this blog as well.

Regret:
-to feel sorry and sad about something previously done or said that now appears wrong, mistaken, or hurtful to others

Have you ever felt the sting of “Regret”? It might be words spoken that you wish you could take back, or actions taken that you wish you could erase. It could be things left undone that you wish you could do now, but it’s simply too late, you can’t change it now. Regret can be Overwhelming!

Several years ago while on an outreach with YWAM, I met a homeless man in Florida who had so much regret that he didn’t want to live another day. As I listened to him, he listed several things that he had done, as well as several things that hadn’t done, with deep regret. As I talked to him about God’s Mercy, and the power of His grace, this guy just couldn’t get past his own guilt. He just couldn’t forgive himself. He told me he wanted to die, but he feared the no one would attend his funeral…and if anyone did show up, he was afraid of what they would say. He was afraid of suicide because he was sure that would send him straight to hell, but he just didn’t want to live. Regret had paralyzed him!

Regret has paralyzed countless people from moving forward with their lives! It can be one of the most empty, lonely, and devastating emotions you will ever feel.

Maybe you’ve dealt with deep pain that comes from Regret, knowing that you simply can’t rewind the tape & start over. If you have “Regret” today, God shares it with you. He knows what you are going through, and feels your pain with you. God values you more than you do. Not only does God feel your pain, but He knows how to Replace your Regret with Vision for the Future…

God can Redeem your Regrets! He can do a “New Creation” work in your life!

2 Cor. 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

How do we Deal with Regret & allow God to Redeem it?

The 4 R’s of Dealing with Regret:

Repent

- If sin produced the Regret, Repent of it!
- If it wasn’t sin, you can still choose to turn away from the Regret and live for God focusing on the future instead of the past…

Reconcile

Rom 12:18-19
If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

- If your Regret is based on a relationship, ask God for wisdom on how to bring restitution to any Relational Regret…

Release

- We must be willing to let go of our regret by releasing it to God. We’ll never be able to move forward as long as we hold on to the past.

1 Peter 5:6-7
6 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Replace

- Replace Regret with our Redeemer!
- Replace Regret with a commitment to avoid potential Regret in the future!

Proverbs 14:8a “The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways…”

How do we move forward & live lives free of Regret?

One of the greatest Christians to ever live was the Apostle Paul. He did more to forward the cause of Christ on the earth than any man who ever lived! Even this Great Man had Regrets. The good news is that he didn’t finish his life that way!

Near the end of his ministry Paul wrote...
2 Tim. 4:7
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

-There is certainly no evidence of regret in this statement! I want to be able to make that kind of statement at the end of my days!

…Today we’re going to quickly look at a few of his statements to the churches in Philippi, & Colosse…

The first statement is from his letter to the church in Philippi…Phil. 3:12-14
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, 14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I think a good summary of all that would be:

1. Prepare for Tomorrow, Today.

Early in his ministry Paul said...
Acts 20:24
“I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”

Paul knew what kind of man he wanted to be! And he did whatever it took to see that it happened! How did he make sure that it happened? He lived very day his life in light of those values.

What kind of person do you want to be?

What values are most important to you?


Living a life without Regrets means preparing today for tomorrow!

Do you want to live a Life without Regrets?

-Then do something significant today…
-Do you want to be generous? = Give today!
-Do you want to save money for the future? = Save Now!
-Do you want to grow mentally? = Develop Study habits now!
-Do you want to be known as a kind person? = Be kind today!
-Do you want to make an eternal impact in the lives of others?
=Reach out now!

I’m gonna give you a little homework assignment:

-Think of 3 character qualities you want to develop.
-Everyday for the next week, practice one principle from your first character quality that will move you in the direction of making that character trait a reality in your life.
-If you do this with each quality, at the end of the third week you will have taken 21 steps toward becoming the kind of the person you want to be…
àThis seems too simple, but it works.
àA life without regrets doesn’t happen by accident…

We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons
- Jim Rohn

Proverbs 14:15 “A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps.”

Our 2nd Statement from Paul is found in his letter to the church at Colosse…
Col. 3:1-3 NKJV
1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God.
2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.
3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

2. Live for Eternity, Today.

-Each day of our lives has eternal significance!

The key to living a life without regrets--is in recognizing the significance of the eternal value in everything you do… à Look for eternal significance in the little things in life rather just the success of the major accomplishments.Jesus did not struggle to find significance in everyday life.
-He saw every day with “Eternal Eyes”!
-He would be having a meal with a friend and turn it into a life-changing experience.
-He would be walking along the road with his disciples and see a tree, and teach his disciples a lesson in faith…
Do you want to live a life without regrets?
-Open your “Eternal Eyes”!


"No Reserves. No Retreats. No Regrets"
- William Borden

If you would like to watch this message online you can go to www.getlife.info and then go to the media section