Let’s Live Without Regrets
The dictionary’s definition of regret is “feeling sorrowful or remorseful about one’s actions, mistakes, faults or realizing something too late.” Realizing something only after experiencing it is truly a foolish thing.
Of course, if we find ourselves on the wrong path, we must recognize it and turn back, even if it is late. However, even if we do turn back, the time we have wasted will not be given back to us.
For example, when the Israelites were traveling through the wilderness, God intended to lead them directly into the land of Canaan from Rithmah. If they had followed His guidance, they could have entered the land flowing with milk and honey in just two years after leaving Egypt.
However, the Israelites sent twelve spies to explore the land and concluded that it was impossible for them to take possession of it. They refused to obey God’s word. As a result, they wandered in the wilderness for 38 years.
During those 38 years, the Israelites must have regreted and repented. Because God loves those who repent and forgives them, He gave them another opportunity to enter the land of Canaan after 38 years and faithfully led them to the end.
However, even though they repented and regretted for their actions, they could not relive the 38 years that was lost. The time passed was gone forever. This is God’s way and His rule. That is why a life of regret is a life of wasting time, whereas a life without regret is a life that redeems the time.
Dear beloved believers, we must live a life without regret, a life that makes the most of our time.
How can we live such a life?
- Utilize Every Opportunity (Eph 5:15-17)
Eph 5:14-21 tells us not to live as unwise people but as wise ones, making the most of our time. In English, the phrase “Making the most of your time” means to utilize every opportunity. This shows that living a life without regret is deeply connected to how well we use the time and opportunities given to us.
In the Bible, there are two Greek words related to time. One is Chronos, which refers to natural passage of time. The other is Kairos, which signifies the moment when God’s work unfolds.
Interestingly, in Roman mythology, Kairos is depicted as the god of time and opportunity. A well-known mural of Kairos presents a fascinating image. He has thick hair in the front but bald on the back, and his ankles have wings.
Because his front hair is thick, it is difficult to recognize an opportunity when it first approaches, His bald back symbolizes that once an opportunity passes, it cannot be grasped again. The wings on his ankles indicate that opportunities pass by an instant.
Dear beloved believers, just as the past 12 years have passed since TLCC began in July 2012, so have the first 47 days of 2025. I urge you to feel the weight of this reality and begin working for God and His church today. We must not prioritize worldly tasks and fit in church work only when time allows. Instead, we should dedicate ourselves to church work first and take care of worldly matters with whatever time remains.
- Redeem the Time (Eph 5:15-17)
In Greek, the phrase “making the most of your time” is translated as “exagorazo” which means “to purchase, redeem, or rescue.” In other words, God is telling us to buy up every moment and opportunity that is given to us.
Why must we actively purchase opportunities, even though time naturally comes to us? The reason is that we are not the only ones trying to seize opportunities. The Bible tells us that even the devil is seeking opportunities (Eph 5:16; Mark 14:11; Rom 7:11).
This means that the time and opportunities were redeem and use for good become moments of righteousness, while the time and opportunities we neglect become moments of evil. Therefore, we must not waste time, but redeem it and use it for the good.
How Can We Redeem Time and Opportunities?
How can we grasp fleeting opportunities that pass by like the wind? Through faith, prayer, repentance, and devotion. For example, Enoch walked with God for 300 years after birth of Methuselah. He held on to and reclaimed the time that was slipping away. This is what it means to live a life that walks with God.
Enoch’s transformation began when he had a son, Methuselah. The name Methuselah means “when he dies, the end will come.” This means that Enoch had faith in God’s redemptive plan. He believed that the world would soon return to the state before the Fall, just as God had promised. With this hope and faith, he lived a life of prayer and repentance.
When we come to such a realization and repentance, our lives become cantered on God. Our hearts become aligned with His Word. We will stop chasing the worldly things and start prioritizing the things of God. This is true devotion.
Dear beloved believers, let us repent for the time and opportunities we have lost and move forward in faith, treating today as the first day of our lives. Like Enoch, let us redeem the time and seize every opportunity through faith, prayer, and devotion.
Regret-saying, “I should have done it back then”- is utterly useless. Instead of living in regret, let us be people who seize every opportunity to do good. I bless you in the name of the Lord.
Conclusion: Discern the Will of God (Eph 5:15-17)
We must seize time and opportunities and use them wisely, but if we do not know what to do, we cannot take action. Therefore, in order to redeem the time and live a life without regret, we must understand the will of God.
In particular, the phrase “Be careful” in Greek is “blepo”, which means “to carefully observe and understand.” God reveals His will to us through the Bible and His Word. When we deeply examine and understand His Word, we can discern His will. This is why we must stay close to the Word. If we depart from it, we will fail to redeem the time and end up living a life full of regret.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 