Living without Regrets

Teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
—Psalm 90:12

If a doctor were to tell you right now, “You only have six months to live,” would you have any regrets? Would you approach your life’s end with a long list of “if onlys”?

What about your attitude, for example, toward your marriage? If you knew you were going to die soon, could you say with certainty that you would leave behind a spouse who had memories only of the warmth and love you had given them?

What would be your attitude toward your vocation? Would you be able to look back on your life and say you worked at a fulfilling career that gave you a great sense of purpose?

What about your children? If you knew you were going to die in a few months, could you say for sure that you would leave behind children who knew they were a priority in your life? Would you be confident that you had instilled in them the values that would last a lifetime?

What about your relationships? If you knew you were going to die soon, could you say with certainty that you have forgiven all those who have hurt you and that you are not holding on to any bitterness? Could you name people who will be in heaven because of your influence? And what about your relationship with God? If you knew you were going to be meeting God in the next few months, would you be filled with excitement or with fear?

How do you make sure that you do not die with regrets? The key to dying without regrets is to learn how to live without regrets. And that is what we are going to talk about as we begin a brand-new year. During the next several weeks, you will learn how to live your life—starting right now—without any regrets about your marriage, your time, your finances, your parenting, your work, or your relationships.

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Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Living without Regrets” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2009.

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960,1962,1963,1968,1971,1972,1973,1975,1977,1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.