Do you ever go throughout your life and wish you could have a do over on something that happened as recently as yesterday, or something as distant as ten years ago? You just wish there was a giant "rewind" button that you could push that would take you back in time and give you another chance to correct whatever it was that you did. Unfortunately we don't have a button like this. Once we make a decision to do something, that decision is final and there is no going back. In this week's blog article I want to offer you some advice on things that you can do that will help you make the right decisions that will hopefully lead to you not regretting them down the road.
1. Think before you speak. Before you speak, think about the lasting consequences it could have. Before you blurt something out just because you want to, think about it first and ask yourself "does what I am about to say contribute to the discussion in a positive way?" "Will what I am about to say hurt the person(s) that I am engaged in conversation with?" Our words are very powerful and sometimes hurtful things. What we say, that might be a joke to us, could be perceived the exact opposite way to another person. In Ephesians 4:29, Paul tells the members of the church at Ephesus, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good and necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." What should we use our mouths for? We should use them to encourage and build people up, not tear them down. Think about all the celebrities that have had their careers ruined because of something they said. The same goes for us today. What we say to others, can have lasting consequences, some of which can not be undone.
2. Think before you act. How do you act around people that you just met, or those that might be strangers to you? If you're anything like me, you attempt to strike up conversation with them. Do you start joking with them right away? Of course not. When looking for someone to evangelize, do you start off right away telling them about the Gospel? No, you have to allow them time to warm up to you. When you are around someone that you don't know well, do you carry yourself in a humble manner, or do you walk around like a big shot, "like you own the place?" In Proverbs 13:16, we are told that "Every prudent man acts with knowledge, but a fool lays open his folly." Before you act on something, involving another person(s), make sure that you take into account all of the concerns, requests, and needs of that other individual(s). If not, you run the risk of coming across as a "Bible beater," and you will regret your actions down the road when you lose the chance to evangelize that individual(s).
3. Think before you make a big (potentially life altering) decision. Think about some of the biggest decisions that you will ever make. Buying a house, a car, getting married, having children, and most importantly obeying the Gospel. How long do we think about making these decisions before we actually follow through with them? Do we wake up one morning and say "I'm going to buy a house today." I suppose some people do that, but an investment that big, deserves at least a little bit of thought. Think about getting married. Do a man and woman meet, date, get engaged, and get married all in a day? I guess if you dig hard enough you might find a case like that, but it's very rare. Before we make a major decision, it's wise to take the time to think things through so that we won't have regrets later on. Remember, we don't have a magical "rewind" button that we can push and go back and correct a mistake we might have made. Once the decision is made, it's made. Once you marry, you have to live with that other person "until death do us part." When we make a decision (big or small), we must follow Paul's instruction to the church at Colossae in Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord, Jesus." Every decision we make must be done in the name of Jesus. We must pray to Him for strength, comfort, and understanding when we make these potentially life altering decisions.
Friends, it is very easy to live in the past. We do things and then we catch ourselves thinking "why did I do, say, or act like that? All we can do in those moments is to learn from them and vow to do better. We can't go back and change anything, I don't care if it happened yesterday or ten years ago. Just use those instances as learning experiences and move on. For months I struggled with getting the church bus stuck in the mud. I desperately wanted to go back in time and change what happened, but guess what, it's a learning experience for me. The old saying goes, "Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Learn from past mistakes, grow from them, and become a better person and Christian.
In Him,
Carver Moore
We would be honored for you to join us for worship at the Chestnut Mound church of Christ.
Our service times are as follows:
Sunday Morning Bible study: 10 am
Sunday morning worship: 11 am
Sunday evening worship: 5 pm
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