What would I do if I could live life over? One man said, “I would probably make the same mistakes I made the first time.”
I read the poem “Maud Muller” by John Greenleaf Whittier which has in the last stanza: “For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, it might have been.”
Actually, I don’t think I would change many things if I had it all to do over. God’s grace has been abundant, His mercy has followed me all these years, and I expect to dwell in the house of the Lord forever. If I had it to do over I would change on these few things:
- I would have gotten saved sooner.
- I would have worried less and trusted God more.
- I would have majored on my strengths and left the areas where I have no talents for someone else to do.
A corollary question is: “If there are things I would change if I could relive my past, then what am I doing today that I will want to relive and change 10 years from now?” One more question that deserves our attention: “What difference will what I am doing make 100 years from now?” If we can answer that question, we may be able to change things now that will make a difference then. What you do with Jesus now will determine what He does with you then.
Jesus gave the church one commission, “Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.” (Mark 16:15) If we will do that through our witnessing, praying, and giving I don’t think we will have any regrets when we come to the end of our lives and look back.