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I love that commercial, have you seen it? This big biker looking guy is getting a tattoo and it says “No Regerts” Oops… What are your big regerts in life? Oh, we all have them, don’t we?
I have more than I dare say, but one that is front and center to me is some of the things I’ve written on this little blog of mine. Yep… I’ve made a lot of mistakes here. In fact, I’ve removed some of my mistakes, but like that tattoo, they are still lingering in my mind, like a tattoo removal that you can still see ink.
Oh, let me count the ways…
But there is a really cool doctrine about God called immutability. What does that mean? It simply means God never changes. Why is this so significant? Because, He is our measuring stick, our plumb line, our due north. Everything else is askew without Him.
So when I grow, or I mature I can now see where I hadn’t yet grown, or where I was… dare I say… “Immature”. Oh yes, friends, we are all so immature at times but the point is that we need to move on. To not stay there, but to recognize our mistakes and attempt to fix them or move past them. It’s never easy. I look back with a grimace and sheepish smile.
“Oh what a foolish thing I did, I said, or acted out.” Yikes, Lord forgive me. I really didn’t know what I was doing.
For godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10
The Apostle Paul is highlighting different types of regrets. We all have regrets but what do we do with them, or how do we handle things moving forward. Godly regret produces a change. It causes us to turn from the sins, hate the sins and live differently in the power of the Holy Spirit. You can try hard on your own but you won’t get it done by yourself. And while I’m really tempted to talk about holiness, that is a future post. Hopefully coming soon.
Suffice to say that even God is the root cause of our holiness. Man-Made, manufactured holiness just circles right back to the worldly grief that never produces true repentance.
Let’s move on from our regrets in this world, giving them to the Lord, that He might grow us in true love producing no regret in us.
Kevin

“I just wish I made progress faster …and wish I had started earlier.”

I heard the voice of my daughter, coming from the kitchen, as she said this to my wife.  My daughter was heartbroken, she was frustrated, and was expressing her regrets.

Don’t we all have them?  If we could look back on our lives, despite what most say, wouldn’t we all change things?  Oh boy… I sure would.  Big time.  But we can’t.  So we take what we have been given, appreciate it for what it is and push forward.

My daughter walked past me and I said, “hey, come here…”  I hugged her and said, “remember when we went to San Francisco and saw those huge trees?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you think they grew fast?”

“No.”

“Well the fast-growing trees are weak, the slow-growing trees grow strong and tall.”

“Keep at it, slow, steady progress. No shortcuts, this is the path to success in everything.”

My daughter plays the harp beautifully and she is very talented.  I have no doubt she will be at a very high level, well actually, I think she already is at a very high level, but there is always a higher level to achieve.

I regret my own personal level of achievement.  “Lord, why didn’t you save me earlier in life?”  I want to be a theologian, a godly man growing in the grace of the Lord at a faster pace, to achieve the highest level…  I’d love to have more time to study…  I’d love to this or I’d love to that…

But guess what?  He didn’t, He chose the time and the place.

Why should I regret that?  Why should my complaining spirit come through, my lack of contentment reign supreme?  That’s an easy question to answer.  But I really don’t like what it says about me at the core.

It really is a contentment issue after all, isn’t it?  “Oh, this wicked heart of mine, how I hate it.  Sometimes.  Ugh…”

Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content.  I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound.  In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.  – Philippians 4:11-13

Wow, Paul had to learn.  I have to learn.  You have to learn and my daughter has to learn, how to be content.  And what is the secret?  Christ.  He is the source of strength.

Press on brothers and sisters, you have a source that others don’t have.

Kevin

Since I wrote about suffering the other day and I know what a popular topic it really is, I thought I might offer a good reason why God uses suffering for His eternal purposes.

Since the summary of the Ten Commandments is to love God and love people then we should find great encouragement here.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort which we ourselves are comforted by God.     2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Let’s see if we can follow this.

God comforts us in our affliction.

The purpose of this comfort is so that we can comfort others in their affliction.

God provides an example in the way He comforted us.

Matthew Henry comments on this passage:

He is able to bind up the broken-hearted, to heal the most painful wounds, and also to give hope and joy under the heaviest sorrows.  The favors God bestows on us, are not only to make us cheerful, but also that we may be useful to others.  He sends comforts enough to support such as simply trust in and serve him.

Trials in life are inevitable.  We all face them and as a Christian, we have the opportunity to face them knowing that God is using them for a three-fold purpose.  Our good, the benefit of others and most importantly for His glory.

If you’ve ever been able to comfort another because you’ve walked through the same type of a trial previously there is nothing more rewarding.  In this God also gives us a wonderful sense of purpose in fulfilling the call to Christian ministry through suffering.

Go forward today knowing that your suffering is making you more like your Savior.

Kevin

Is it possible for me to encourage you today?

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

I’d really like to do that if possible.  I’m not sure how, perhaps you can message me, or call me if we are friends.

I don’t want to be an encourager in a Joel Osteen sort of a way where I tell you that God has great blessings in store for you.  Because I don’t know that’s necessarily true in the “mammon” sense of a blessing.

But what I do know is that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ you have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places and that is better than anything I could ever offer you that is temporary.

But in this life, we need people to help us sometimes.  To guide us on the path.  To be a listening ear or on occasion a kick in the butt.  Without trying to be too sappy, which I’m not really a “sappy” guy, I do wish to offer opportunities to pray for you if I can.

If you ever needed to talk I’m always willing to listen.

Hey, I like coffee…  let me know if we can grab a cup and hang out.

In this dog-eat-dog world let’s find some space for kindness and compassion.  That is a Christian virtue after all.  It doesn’t always have to be setting you straight on your bad theology.

Anyway, I’ll stop there, hopefully, you got my point.

Kevin

 

I’m a complainer sometimes. More than I want to be actually, but less than I once was. I think that’s good. But yet it’s so easy to complain.

We always want it better.

If it’s too cold I wish it was warmer, too hot, then I want it cooler. Too humid, I wish I was in New Mexico.

Where is the balance?

We’ve just experienced the coldest day EVER where I live and had record snow fall for the month of January. I remember when we moved to Iowa in 1979. It was an epic winter. And by all measures we surpassed it this year.

Don’t we have some right to complain? Seems we should.

But just think about what is good…  It was -33 degrees the other night and I was comfortably sleeping in my bed and the thermostat was set at 71 and it stayed 71 through the whole night.  I had a hot meal that evening sitting with my beautiful family.  I read a book, I put the “littles” to bed and  told them to get back to bed at least 3 or 4 or 20 times.  What could be better?  Oh and I failed to mention I haven’t seen a mosquito in months.

Ah yes…  we are a miserable lot sometimes.

I think about the hundreds, thousands and millions of blessings I’ve received in my life.  It’s far better than I deserve and I would have never really anticipated any of this.  A wife that has stuck by me for nearly 28 years, 4 amazing children, a beautiful church home that has lovingly embraced us when we never expected it.  And I could go on and on and on…

And dare I not mention salvation to the chief of sinners?

My complaints are nothing but acts of selfishness and in reality why would I ever complain?  I don’t know…

O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices, and in your salvation how greatly he exults!

You have given him his heart’s desire and have not withheld the request of his lip.  Selah

For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.

He asked life of you; you gave it to him, length of days forever and ever. 

His glory is great through your salvation; splendor and majesty you bestow on him.

For you make him most blessed forever, you make him glad with the joy of your presence.

For the king trusts in the LORD, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.  – Psalm 21:1-7

 

May the Lord gives us a great appreciation today for the simple things we overlook, but most importantly to the One who provides all things.

Kevin