Full of Regret or Full of the Spirit?

"Be  very careful, then how you live--not as unwise but wise, making the most of 

every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, 

but understand what God's will is...be filled with the Spirit. 

Ephesians 5:15-16

Self-absorbed people seem to have the most regret until we learn to be selfless.

Yes, I'm speaking from experience. It means we haven't denied self to follow Jesus. Until the grace of God steps in we think like this: "I wish I had spent more time with_________," "I wish I had humbled myself and forgiven _____", "I regret I never said, 'I love you' every time I saw _______" , "I wish I had said I was sorry to _______..".  Anything here kind of sound familiar? Uh-huh.

How can we fully enjoy anything in this life if we're consumed with ourselves? We can't truly love other people if we're in love with ourselves. And that means we don't really have room for God in our hearts and minds, either. Nope. We end up alone because we're too full of ourselves! Self-protection. Self-gratification. Self-promotion. Self-exaltation. And then we get angry when others aren't worshiping us and telling us how great we are! Whoa. 

But God offers us something so much better! Oh, yes He does! God sent His Son Jesus to earth so that He could give us "life and have it in abundance!" (John 10:10). Yes! That is what He offers the world! All who come to Him in repentance and faith will be filled with the fruit of the Spirit -- that is, the Holy Spirit of God for all who believe -- and we become filled with "love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control"  (Galatians 5:22). 

And His plan is for a spiritual orchard to grow in us that overflows with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness....yes, all the fruit! "It is to My Father's glory that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples" (John 15:8).

Since we're blessed and empowered with the favor of God and His Spirit working in us why aren't we living with less regrets? Why aren't we "making the most of every opportunity" and letting go of pride and sharing all the love and joy of the Lord with the world? Maybe we really do take people in our lives for granted. Maybe we're not really grateful to God for saving us, loving us, providing our needs, protecting us. Maybe we greedily believe we're entitled to all the worldly fruit in this life -- which eventually rots or breaks down --never lasts. Do we buy a bunch of expensive stuff to impress people we don't even like! (Yeah, I said that out loud.)

We have to decide what truly matters in this life. All our worldly wealth doesn't love us back, does it? But God surely does.

Look at this passage of Scripture. I invite you to read it aloud to yourself because it is glorious and gives us every reason to continually celebrate God's goodness and His greatness in our lives! "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And He is not served by human hands as if He needed anything. Rather, He Himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man He made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him, though He is not far from any one of us. For in Him we live and move and have our being. As some of your own poets have said, 'We are His offspring.'" (Acts 17:24-28)

Come on! As followers of Christ we are His offspring! His kids! He says He has our backs! He says, "You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit --fruit that will last -- and so that whatever you ask in My name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other." (John 15:16-17.)

No longer settling to be full of Self -- but full of the Spirit. BAM!

For HIS glory,

Polly💖

Matthew 5:16