“If I could only turn back time” is the same as saying, “I wish I would have.”
Remorse and regret do no one any good, it leads only to depression, and I would presuppose it is possibly the leading cause of suicide. “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:” (Heb. 9:27)
Everyone in hell wishes they would have, hell is where depression lives, and it is never quenched, remorse, regret, self-hatred, every conceivable negative emotion resides in hell. No one ever smiles with joy there.
Once something is in the past it cannot be changed, it cannot be modified or “taken back,” it is permanent. It is not hell though that this short letter is about, nor about heaven, where I believe many also have said numerous times, “I wish I would have,” it is about right here and right now.
As I have stated before, you can use your past experiences to plan for your future, but right now is all you truly have. The Almighty lives in an ever present now, there is no past, present or future for Him who inhabits eternity, we do not have that pleasure. If you desire to be transformed by the renewing of your mind, right now is the time to start. If you want to pray more effectually, if you want to be a profitable servant, pleasing in the eyes of the Lord, if you want to see God glorified, now is the time to start.
An emotionally charged, uplifting moment though is not what you need right now, this is not one of those foolish New Years Eve promises that so many make and break. You can start the engine of any car, but if you do not put it in gear, you are going nowhere.
“And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)
Perseverance, without the fortitude of perseverance you will never succeed, if you are going to say you are going to start something, right at that moment is the time to begin.
The best laid plans my friends.
Abraham did not question the Lord God Almighty, he probably did not get any sleep that night, but as soon as the sun began to light up the morning sky, he and Isaac started on the journey of sacrifice.
Right here, right now, decide, make the decision, what do you want to be for the Lord, how do you want to serve Him? Tell Him, be waiting, patiently for the answer, and the moment that answer arrives, drop everything and begin. No hesitations, no remorse, no regrets.
“I wish I would have.” We will say it in heaven, I suppose all will, but today could be the day when it will never cross your mind again.
The Almighty is searching for those who love Him enough to die to self, to give up all they have here if He so speaks. Again, I am reminded of those He will call to Himself during the Tribulation Period, those who will not love their lives to the death. They are not saved today, they will need to endure much, each of them will say “I wish I would have,” and then they will lay down their lives for the Lord.
There is something else that all will say in heaven, words that will never be voiced in hell. Perhaps they will help us to see more clearly, but if you take anything from this poorly written letter, I pray it is this. You can be changed, today, right now if you will only truly submit your entire will to the Living God and for His glory.
Those words?
“I’m glad I did.”