Five Most Common Regrets in Life, 3

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

We are talking about the 5 most common regrets in life. These are real, deathbed confessions gathered by Nurse Bronnie Ware, over a period or time. Since we are now in the New Year, and planing on making some of those New Year Resolutions, why not try to avoid these 5 common regrets in life itself. At the end, it's too late to change.

Remember, the first two {Number 5, and 4, on our list} are,,

5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

Today, we are going to talk about number 3 "I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings."

Did you know, that keeping your feelings bottled up is not good for you. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result. Also if we try to pretend to be someone we are not, eventually, we will regret that as well. We cannot control the reactions of others. Nor, believe it or not, are we responsible for their Happiness.

Do you go to a Foot Doctor to pull your Teeth? Of course not. But what if that Dentist is actually a Podiatrist. He is not going to do a great job on your Teeth. But what if someone is looking for you, and you are too busy pretending to be someone else?

To often, we find ourselves thinking, if only I was, pick one, Cooler, Stronger, Faster, Smarter, Prettier, Richer, more important of a person, then people would love me. Is that TRULY what you want? Remember what Jesus said about those that do things for the praise of Men, "They have their reward." You should be more concerned with the way God sees you. Not how man does.

Think about this also. You are YOU. God created you. You are the way you are for a reason. Would God chose someone like a Giant to battle Goliath. Nope. He chose the scrawniest, youngest, Boy, He could find. One with a pure heart towards God though. If someone is looking for you, and you are disguising yourself as someone else, they will not even see the real you.

Being you, means you have thoughts and opinions that are unique. Do not be afraid to express them. But "what if" someone thinks this or that about you. So? You cannot control what they think, or how they see you. This is one of the main reasons that some do not share the Gospel with others. "What if they think I'm a weirdo?" "They are going to think I'm a stupid, backwoods hick." "What if my friends turn their back on me?" Jesus said this,,

"For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.” {Mark 8:38} 

He also said

 "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven." {Matthew 10:32-33}

Think about that. Jesus said, if you are too ashamed or scared, to tell others who He is, and what HE did, then He will not share with those in Heaven, who you are. In other words, if you are doing things for Man's acceptance and praise, then you have your reward.

The Psalmist wrote "I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. {Psalm 119:46} Isaiah said "For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed." {Isaiah 50:7} They did not care what man thought. Look at David....

2 Samuel 6

20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!

21 And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord.

David was dancing in the Streets while they we moving the Ark of the Covenant. He did not care about what people thought of him. I love this phrase. "therefore will I play before the Lord." Why not? Who cares what others think? God chose YOU to be His Child. Jesus came and died for you. You have been adopted into the Family of God. You are an heir, with Christ, for the Kingdom. As long as you are approved by God, who cares what man thinks is good or appropriate.

Writing to Timothy, Paul puts it this way "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." {2 Timothy 2:15} "But Pete, They are not going to like me talking about all this stuff. They are going to think I'm different." YOU ARE!! You are a Child of God. A Prince or Princess of Heaven itself. You ARE different. You have been adopted into the Family of God. Chances are, those that do not accept what you are saying, simply cannot hear you. They are NOT Children of God. Again, we are all God's Creation, but not all God's Children.

John 8:

42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.

43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word.

44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

45 And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.

46 Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?

47 He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.

Remember, Jesus was talking to Priests and Rules of Synagogues here. Again, it is not your responsibility to see to it that those you are talking to accept the Truth. It is your responsibility to tell them. That's it. The rest is between them and God. Once the Seed leaves you, and goes into the ground, it is God who waters it.

What is important is you know the Truth. John tells us we need to test the Spirits.

1 John 4:

1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

4 Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

5 They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.

6 We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

12 No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.

15 Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

19 We love him, because he first loved us.

20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?

21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

"Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world." That's pretty simple to understand. Is it not? "All Religion should be treated as equal." That's find. But we are not talking about Religion. We are talking about Truth and Reality. Any Religion that leaves out Jesus being the Christ and the Only "Way, Truth, and Life," is nothing more than Man-made Traditions.

Some would even argue that Religion can very well be a tool of the Evil One. Think about that. All he has to do is keep you from accepting Jesus's Sacrifice for you. He does not care how "religious" you are. As long as he can keep you from accepting the Gift of God, then you belong to him. It really is that simple. Be a good little {Insert Religion here} all you want. Give money to Charity. Bring food to the Hungry. Help the poor all you want. Talk about God. He doesn't care about any of that. Just whatever you do, do not speak the name Jesus the Christ, nor accept that He came to Earth, was Crucified, and has risen from the dead for the payment of Sin for all mankind. "Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist"

Tomorrow is never guaranteed. So often we hear those that loose loved ones, "I wish I had a chance to tell them,,,," Think about 9-11. A Tuesday. A normal, boring, Tuesday. 2,996 people got up that morning. 19 of them knew this was their last day on earth, because they thought God was telling them to carry out this evil act. 2977 people had no idea. They got up, did their morning routine, and headed out the door. Their loved ones had no idea that this was the last time. The last hug. The last kiss. The last time they would ever see their loved ones again. What was the last thing you said to someone you love? Was it the last time? 

I just had this happen to me. I was leaving somewhere. I know this one person has some issues getting home. I asked "Do you need a ride?" They said "No. I have someone coming." "Sure?" "Yup. They should be pulling up any second." I left. I even rode past them, hoping that they would wave me over. They didn't. The person they rely on showed up really late. Did I leave them behind? No. I was there. I offered help. They said "No."

"I love you." If you mean it. Say it. Often. If you do love someone, why would you not want to tell them the Truth of Salvation? Imagine the regret of someone who knows the Truth, and finds out that someone they love, just left us. They died. "I always wanted to share Jesus with them, but I was afraid of what they would think of me." Tell them the Truth. If they chose to become offended, or think this or that of you, or reject it outright, that is on them. You can have a clear conscience. You did your part. Do not ever be afraid to be you. To express your true feelings. It is up to others, who will like the real you better than the phony you any day of the week, to accept you or not. It should be of no concern to you how they feel or what they think about you. Just be you. You may actually help them. They may actually help you.

Do not let, not expressing your feelings, be one of your end of life regrets. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? Have you been adopted into the Family of God? If not, say this Prayer. Right now. Wherever you may be. Say it in your own words, and do not doubt in your heart. God will hear you. He will send the Spirit of Life to you. Let us Pray..

"Oh heavenly Father, Lord God. I am a sinner. I know this. I know there is nothing I can do to change that. But I know you can. I accept Jesus's sacrifice for me. I repent my sins. Please send the Spirit of Adoption into my life. Help me to get to know the real you. Save me. Please. In the name of Jesus, Amen!"

That's it. It really is that simple. Now go tell someone what you have just done. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." {Romans 10:9} You need to find a Church that God leads you to, and be Baptized the way Jesus said to be. You are now a Child of God. A new Creature. You "have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him." {Colossians 3:10}

If you want to tell me, or comment, question, give testimonials, or just say "Hi," the Email is opntalk@gmail.com

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all. Amen. {2 Corinthians 13}

The article by Bronnie Ware, first appeared on inspirationandchai.com via @ Real Farmacy