This week's column is written by Aaron Gravett
When I was a kid, I looked forward to every year. Life had so many opportunities and unfulfilled dreams that still lay ahead. Plans to have a mighty ministry, educational plans, vocational plans and family plans. The problem with life is that it also holds pitfalls, broken dreams, bad decisions and then regret. After many years, you can look back at broken relationships and plans and the sorrow of it all can come flooding your heart and make life seem very heavy.
What do you do in that place? There are only two options. One is to live in the regret which will draw what’s left of your life right out of you. Some live their life like they are just marking time until they die. I have done ministry in nursing homes and there are many that are doing this. They are still physically alive, but have checked out of life years ago.
Then there is the other option - letting Jesus Christ redeem your story. Now, I’m not saying that when a person comes to Christ that all the dreams get fulfilled, all relationships are restored, and you become super successful. I am saying that the presence of God can come into your life and the first thing you will do is no longer feel useless and worthless, but see yourself through Christ’s eyes and how valuable you are to Him. He sees us with all the failures and broken dreams and loves us more than we can ever imagine. He wants to give us life and a great one fulfilling His plans for us.
You see, the enemy of our soul wants to keep us in defeat, but Jesus has another plan. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” -John 10:10
That “life more abundantly” is life in Him! It is a life that seeks to please the Lord for His great love He has shown for us through His life, crucifixion, death, burial and resurrection! It is a life being led by the Holy Spirit - sent to comfort and to empower us to share this greatest love with everyone we know.
In essence, He takes a life of regret and makes it a life of hope. I was blessed with hope when I had gone through the deepest grief I ever had. My life had become a life of regret, sorrow and loss. Jesus Christ had other plans though. One of the greatest blessings is He brought to me Tiffany. She is my gift of hope from Christ. I am blessed beyond measure with her, and I love her so very much!
Are all my regrets gone? No. Are all my broken relationships restored? No. Am I completely fulfilling the ministry I know God had in store for me yet? No. But I hold onto the one that is still writing my story - our story - and that story is already redeemed!
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