Scripture- “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11
What will we be more regretful of at the end of our lives, things that we did that we wish we didn’t do or things we didn’t do that we wish we had done? What will be more disappointing to God? These are questions that human beings will grapple with someday as they reflect back on their lives. Studies have shown that their is a connection between time and regrets that helps us to answer the question posed above. In the short term, measured in weeks or months, but not years, people tend to feel worse about the things they’ve done that they no they shouldn’t have done. These things are called sins of commission. We feel guilty about these things as we have been disobedient to the will of God and we recognize it in our souls. Hopefully, we repent of the sin of commission quickly, pray about it and try to do better next time, although we realize that as sinners in a fallen world, our sin nature is strong here on earth and we will fall many more times each day in both thought and deed. Thank God He never expects perfection out of us, but rather only that we recognize that He sent His only Son to be our sin offering for us, to cleanse us from our sin, so one day we can stand before Him free from the stains that would present us as guilty before His seat of judgement. Hallelujah! However, as we move further out in time, measured by years or decades, by a fairly overwhelming gap of around 85% to 15%, people begin to lament the things that they should have done, but didn’t do as compared to the things that they had done that they shouldn’t have. In biblical terms, these are called sins of omission. This is the type of regret that can cause your soul to be restless as you realize that you didn’t do all that you could have done with the gifts that God gave you.
The German Author Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe states ” Hell begins the day God grants you the vision to see all that you could have done, should have done, and would have done, but did not do.” Man, that scares me so much to think about what that will be like. I don’t want to get to the end of my life and have those regrets. So when we look at the two types of sins presented above, sins of commission and sins of omission, we have to ask ourselves some important questions. Which are more damaging to God’s will for our lives? Which are more important to God’s Kingdom here on earth? Which will we be held more accountable for? Lastly, how can we make a difference in the short time on earth with the tools we have been given by God? I am of the firm belief that as Christians we are called to spread the light and love of the gospel into this broken world. That requires a faith commitment. That requires us to put our Faith in Jesus Christ and to not look at all the obstacles that appear before us. Those obstacles can paralyze us, but true stepping out in faith liberates us to try that which seems impossible. In many cases, without God the tasks He calls us to will be impossible. I believe that God removes obstacles when we are in prayer mode and relying on Him for guidance. If we look at ourselves and our limitations, we get fearful. But if we look at God and his awesome power, we get bold. That is why prayer is the key to everything. It is what draws our attention off of ourselves and our weaknesses and places it onto God and his power. The bible is filled with stories of God using “unqualified” people to do huge things for His kingdom. Holiness by multiplication if you will, but it requires abandonment to self and laser focus on and submission to God. Are you in?
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