Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
If today were your last day on earth, what would you wish you had done differently for Christ?
Regret is a powerful emotion.
Some regret the things they have done, while others regret the things they failed to do. The greatest regrets in eternity will not be about earthly matters but about what we neglected to do for Christ.
Let me start off by drawing you to a couple verses in Luke 22.
Luke 22:61-62 “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.”
Peter is a prime example. He denied Jesus and deeply regretted it. However, he did not let regret define him. Instead, he let it drive him forward to serve Christ mightily. Let’s consider three key thoughts about Regrets:
-Don’t do things you’ll regret.
-Don’t let regrets hold you back.
-Do the things you’d regret not doing for Christ.
I. Don’t Do Things You’ll Regret
Luke 22:62 “And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.”
Peter’s denial of Christ is one of the most heartbreaking moments in Scripture. Just hours before, he boldly declared that he would never forsake Jesus, yet when the pressure was on, he denied knowing Him.
Why do people end up doing things they regret? The Bible gives several reasons:
The fear of man (Proverbs 29:25)
Spiritual overconfidence (I Corinthians 10:12)
Following at a distance (Luke 22:54)
Being in the wrong place (Luke 22:55)
Pride (Proverbs 16:18)
Laziness (Proverbs 24:33-34)
Jealousy (James 3:16)
Judas regretted betraying Jesus but handled it the wrong way by taking his life rather than seeking Christ’s mercy (Matthew 27:3-5).
David regretted his sin with Bathsheba, which brought great consequences (II Samuel 12:10-14).
Certainly, we should strive not to do things we will later regret!
II. Don’t Let Regrets Hold You Back
God’s Word records a tender moment of restoration between Peter and our Lord:
John 21:17 “He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”
How Did Peter Overcome His Regret?
He repented and wept over his sin (Luke 22:62).
He returned to Jesus (John 20:3-4).
He received Christ’s forgiveness (John 21:15-17).
He preached boldly at Pentecost—about 3,000 souls were saved in one day!
He suffered for Christ with joy (Acts 5:41).
Are you letting past failures hold you back, or are you moving forward in faith? Ask God to help you move forward as Peter did.
III. Do the Things You’d Regret Not Doing For Christ!
James 4:17 “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”
Some Things You’ll Regret Not Doing:
Not witnessing for Christ (Ezekiel 3:18, Luke 16:27-28).
Not investing in eternal things (Matthew 6:19-20).
Not strengthening fellow believers (Hebrews 10:24-25).
Not praying enough (Luke 18:1).
Not standing for truth (II Timothy 4:7).
Moving forward, I don’t want there to be anything else that I’d regret not doing for Christ. I hope the same is true for you and that you’ll take steps to do the things you’d regret not doing for Him.
Take time to seriously consider: What are the things that you’d regret not doing for Christ? Once you identify them, prioritize doing them.
My Friends, You Have a Choice:
Live with regret over wasted opportunities.
Or live with the joy of knowing you gave your all for Christ.
Let’s live today in a way that we won’t regret in eternity!
May we all do the things that we’d regret not doing for Christ.
In His Service,
Dr. Peter Evander
Philippians 1:20
