We all know what is right to do and when we don't do that "right", we sin (James 4:17). I could stop right there but you know I won't! I should have... You fill in the blanks. I'm sure there are more than I who have regrets about what we shoulda done. When we consider the shoulda's in our life we need to acknowledge several things. First, is the event something that we failed to glorify God in? Second, is the event something that would have helped someone by sharing the Gospel? Third, how do I leave the shoulda's out of my life? You see, there is no need to try and right the shoulda's because the events are already done, over, finished even if they aren't done, over or finished. What we shoulda done is remain in a right relationship with Jesus. But we didn't. We served self or some other god other than God. By the way, that god is usually us. When we ask for forgiveness for all the shoulda's in our lives, we need to believe that we are forgiven AND God remembers our sin no more. There is no need to carry forward the guilt and misgivings of the shoulda's.
Akin to the shoulda is the woulda. The woulda is both past and present in nature. I woulda did this, said that, or went there if... Therein lies the problem. IF. Woulda's are full of if's. It wasn't the right time, the right place or the right person. It wasn't my job, calling, or place in society. It wasn't something I felt comfortable with. The list of excuses goes on and on. Depending on where you are the list could be quite long or short. It makes no matter. The woulda's win hands down. Think about it, what would we do if Jesus had taken the shoulda and woulda philosophy? How many people will think or say "I wish he/she woulda..." as they stand in judgment and their name isn't written in the Book of Life? We woulda told them but our excuses got in the way. There was a game on TV. There was a soap opera. There was the need to wash the car, cut the grass, keep a perfect house and there was a need to tell others about Jesus through our thoughts (and prayers, words, and deeds. Yet the woulda's squandered away our time and purpose. We had an epic fail because we didn't talk to our neighbor, because we didn't pray for our neighbor and because we didn't attend to the needs of our neighbor.
I coulda done this or said that but didn't. The coulda's hallmark is that we didn't try. We sat by and waited for something that didn't work come from somewhere we didn't believe in and would potentially wreck our place in the world. There is the choice. Are we in the world but not of the world? That's what the Christian is supposed to be. Coulda you have at least tried? Was it so much to do that you coulda but didn't? There is a facet in the Bible that tells of the judgment before the throne of God where we will be called to answer for "every idle word and deed" as well as "every idle word and deed" that we didn't do. It's called a judgment because we know what is right to do and didn't do it. We knew that God wanted to reach into that person's life and we didn't do it. AFTER THE FACT we said, "Well, I coulda done that." But the fact is we didn't. It was your choice, my choice and the churches choice. Settling for nothing is pathetic. Yet many Christians do just that. Many churches do just that. And God weeps.
Make the choice.
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