Regret

I listened to an online sermon recently that a friend advised me to listen to - the preacher was a guy from an organization called Partner, Relief and Development. It was about 45 minutes long. When he first started talking, it didn't sound like a sermon. He was casual, relaxed, and made lots of jokes. He talked about his past, his hippie life, his parents who lived separately. He talked about himself, drugs, smoking, alcohol. Mess. His life wasn't holy, or very meaningful, he wasn't very well educated. But then he talked about visiting his dad, and he talked about regret. Now, regret wasn't even the main point of his sermon, it was only on a side note. A little something that he had in his mind that he wanted to share. Regret - that little word was what hit me hardest, while I was listening to his sermon. I don't want to live a life of regret. I want to do many things do many places, and try many things. When I was younger, I wasn't a Christian, and I thought - well, I don't want to regret anything in my life, so maybe I should try a little of everything and then choose what I think is the best!! I wanted to try alcohol, I wanted to try a little drugs, I wanted to try cutting, and smoking. On the other hand, I didn't want to get messed up, I wanted to live, I wanted to love, I wanted life. I was lucky that my mother met Christ and brought me to church. Those thoughts more or less began to fade. Life is not about substances, or trying everything so that you can choose what you think is best... Life is about finding true meaning in what you live for. Life should be about Joy and peace, and love. That might sound all hippie-ish, but that's not what I'm talking. I'm talking about a love that loves unconditionally. A joy that never fades, and a peace that is always present, even in times of trouble and danger.

Regret. It's so easy to do what you think is fun or cool... but those moments only last a short while. Regret fills in once the moment fades and again, you're left with nothing. Maybe that's why it's so easy to get addicted to something. You want those moments to last forever, but they wont, not unless you keep doing it, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat. Instant gratification is what humans live for, but everlasting joy and peace and what we want. The world is looking in all the wrong places and believing in all the wrong results. The world is looking for Joy, asa if it can be bought at a 7-11 or a super market.

But in Luke 2:10-11 an Angel said "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord."

The angel gives us new of great Joy - must we look further? Joy has been given to those who will accept and receive.

I know that if I want to live a life with no regrets, I must accept, receive and believe in that Joy given to us from the Father.