Inaction Regrets

In his book, If Only, psychologist Dr. Neil Roese makes a distinction between two different types of regret: regrets of action and regrets of inaction. A regret of action is doing something you wish you hadn’t done. A regret of inaction is not doing something that you wish you had done. Let me put it in theological terms. Actions regrets are the result of sins of commission. Inaction regrets are the result of sins of omission.

I think the church has focused on sins of commission long enough. They are easier to identify. But the greatest regrets at the end of our lives won’t be the things we did wrong. It will be not doing the right things—things we could have, should have, and would have done.

Action regrets taste bad, but inaction regrets leave a bitter aftertaste that lasts a lifetime. Inaction regrets haunt us because they leave us asking what if. We are left to wonder how our lives would have been different had we taken the risk or seized the opportunity. What if we had chased the lion instead of running away? Somehow our lives seem incomplete. Failing to take a risk is almost like losing a piece of the jigsaw puzzle to your life. It leaves a gaping hole. When we get to the end of our lives, our greatest regrets will be the missing pieces.

That conviction is backed up by the research of two social psychologists named Tom Gilovich and Vicki Medvec. Their research found that time is a key factor in what we regret. Over the short term, we tend to regret our actions. But over the long haul, we tend to regret inactions. Their study found that over the course of an average week, action regrets outnumber inaction regrets 53% to 47%. But when people look at their lives as a whole, inaction regrets outnumber action regrets 84% to 16%. Don’t put off living another day!

SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES

Recently while Janice and I were in Australia I noticed that there were Starbucks coffee shops there and I couldn’t help but think about what a worldwide empire Starbucks has become. It seems like there is a Starbucks on every street corner, every terminal, every mall and every hotel in America. Pretty soon there are going to be Starbucks in Starbucks.

When Howard Schultz purchased Starbucks on August 15, 1987 it was a small chain of coffeehouses in Seattle, Washington. Nothing more, nothing less. Howard Schultz said his big goal was to open one store in Portland, Oregon.  A few decades later, there are 11,000 stores in 37 countries with approximately 35 million customer visits every week! And for what it’s worth, Starbucks opens 5 new stores every day 365 days a year.

But Howard Schultz almost passed up the opportunity because it seemed too big. Schultz said it felt like a case of the salmon swallowing the whale. In other words, it seemed way to big for him to attempt. The asking price was $4 million. I love the way Schultz describes the moment in his book, Pour Your Heart Into it:  This is my moment, I thought. If I don’t seize the opportunity, if I don’t step out of my comfort zone and risk it all, if I let too much time tick on, my moment will pass. I knew that if I didn’t take advantage of this opportunity, I would replay it in my mind for my whole life, wondering: What if?  On June 26, 1992—less than five years after Howard Schultz seized the opportunity—Starbucks’ stock went public. It was the second most active stock traded on the NASDAQ and by the closing bell, its market capitalization stood at $273 million. Not bad for a $4 million investment. Schultz saw an opportunity and he seized it.

In Colossians 4 there is a verse that doesn’t get much air time, but I think it a great definition of spiritual maturity. If all of us obeyed this verse it would radically change our lives. Colossians 4:5 says: Make the most of every opportunity.  This Scripture doesn’t specify how many or how few opportunities. It doesn’t make a difference between how small or how large the opportunity. We simply need to make the most of every opportunity.

The word translated opportunity in Colossians 4:5 is the Greek word kairos. It refers to a window of opportunity. The English word opportunity comes from the Latin phrase ob portu. In the days before modern harbors, ships had to wait till flood tide to make it into port. The Latin phrase “ob portu” referred to that moment in time when the tide would turn. The captain and crew would wait for that one moment, and they knew that if they missed it, they would have to wait for another tide to come in.

We are surrounded by God-ordained opportunities—opportunities to love, opportunities to laugh, opportunities to give, opportunities to learn, opportunities to serve, opportunities to give. Seeing and seizing those opportunities is at the heart of what it means to follow Christ and be filled with the Spirit.

Most of us want our opportunities gift wrapped. We want our lions stuffed or caged or cooked medium well and served on a silver platter. But opportunities typically present themselves at the most inconvenient time in the most inconvenient place. Opportunities often come disguised as a big problem, but people who get ahead in life see them as opportunities. Problems are opportunities in disguise!

I have a conviction: God is in the business of making sure we meet the right people at the right time. He’s also in the business of strategically positioning us in the right place at the right time. But here is the catch: the right place often seems like the wrong place and the right time often seems like the wrong time.

Living with Definite Aim

Paul says (paraphrasing) in I Corinthians 9:26 (AMP), “I do not live my life without definite aim…”  I do not live my life without having a definite aim of what I’m about.  In Acts 26, we read the encounter that Paul had with Jesus on the road to Damascus.  Jesus said, “Paul, I have appeared unto you for this purpose.  1.  I am going to make you a minister; 2.  I am sending you to the Gentiles; 3.  I am going to have you open their eyes so they can come to the revelation of truth.” 

When you read about Paul’s life, read his writings and read about all the great things he accomplished, one of the things that you discover is that Paul was a master at staying on course.  Now he, like everyone else, went off in the wrong directions sometimes, but ultimately he was a master at staying on his decided course.   You know the story in the book of Luke about the brothers who came to Jesus and said, “We would like for you to divide our inheritance for us.”  And Jesus explained to them that it was not his place to do that.  Then Jesus made this very powerful statement: “Life does not consist in the abundance of things a person possesses.”  What Jesus was saying here was that they were getting very disturbed about some things that really didn’t matter. He was actually telling them that they were wanting to live their lives based on what would never give them happiness rather than what would.  These brothers were in dispute about money.   It seemed that they were on the verge of throwing away their relationship over this.   I hope you all realize that no amount of money is worth throwing away your family for.

            I believe all of us were created to live for a divine purpose.  All of us were designed, by the design of God,  and created to live for a destiny and something outside of ourselves.  The reality is, if you live your life based on what just influences you, you will live a very empty, disturbed and messed up life.  All of us have been given by God something to do in this earth like no body else can do.  I have thought often about different things that would hinder people from really experiencing and walking in the plan that God has for their lives.  And I want you to remember that while you were created to live for a purpose, but the main purpose you were created for was to experience the love of God.  Beyond what you can do for God, God is more interested in loving on you and having you experience His love.  The reality is that the most important thing is not what you can do for Him but what you can experience in His love.  There is nothing more valuable to God than His loving you and your coming to the place where you experience that great love.  There is NOTHING more valuable, more important, more worthwhile than experiencing the love of God so let experiencing it be the first thing you aim at in life.

THE SECRETS of SUCCESS – Part 2

So what is genuine success in ministry?  It’s not how I look.  It’s not what I have.  It’s not who I know.  The Bible says it’s what I am.  What I am is really the key ingredient to success and what I am is determined by who I think I am.  Galatians 6:4 “Each one should test his own actions then he can take pride in himself without comparing himself to someone else.”  Notice he says don’t compare yourself to other people but test your own actions.  Real genuine success is never at the expense of somebody else. 

Who I am is the key ingredient in success in life whether I am looking for it in my relationships or finances. Who I am influences every action I take in life so I must settle this issue because without doing so I will never be fulfilled regardless of how good life is for me. Hebrews 4:12 says in the NLT that the “Word” exposes to us who we “really” are. When most people read this verse they say that’s for sure because I feel like a worm when I read or hear the Word. When we read the Bible and it points out our weaknesses and failures it’s because we are reading it to find out what’s “wrong” with us rather than what’s “right”. I heard it said years ago that we always find what we look for and this could not more true than looking for what’s wrong with us. I want to challenge you to begin reading the Bible to find out what God says about you and that is you’re righteous, accepted and have ALL things in and through Christ. Let this be the first step in your journey in discovering success and I promise you’ll never regret it.

Our website has hundreds of sermon sermons on it that you can listen to and download for free. Take some time at least three times per week to listen to these sermons that help you discover who you are.

THE SECRETS of SUCCESS

What’s the secret of success?  Anytime someone says, “Here’s the secret,” you know they’re wrong because there’s no single secret.  There are lots of “secrets” of success.  But they’re all in the Bible.  I want to give some of them to you over the next few weeks because they apply to all areas of your life.  If you will use the things that I will be sharing as a guideline you will find your personal life, business and the ministry you’re involved in, dramatically improving as you apply these Biblical truths.

Everybody’s interested in success.  And the truth is God wants you to succeed.  He wants you to succeed in everything you do in life.  He wants you to succeed especially with your family.  What’s the alternative?  People say, “I don’t think God wants me to be a success?”  What do they think he wants you to be, a failure?  No, He wants you to make an impact with your life so you can enjoy this journey. 

Over the next few weeks we’re going to look at the some of the “secrets” of success but right now let’s take a look at what success is not.

1. Success is not measured by how I look.  Our society is image conscious.  For many people the goal is simply to appear successful.  The right car, the right clothes, the right accessories, the right style.  People in the world today often just buy things for status symbols.  We buy things we don’t need with money we don’t have to impress people we don’t even like.  It’s true that many people look at image – “If I appear successful then I am.”  But God says that’s not it. 

2. What I have.  You can be wealthy and be a failure at life.  I meet a lot of people who are making more and more money and enjoying it less and less.  Mark 8:38 says  

            What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and lose his soul.”  Luke 12:5 “A man’s life consists not in the abundance of things that he possesses.”  It’s

            not based on your possessions.

3. It’s also not a matter of who I know.  If you’ve ever read some success motivational books they often talk about you’ve got to know the right people.  I say, You don’t

     have to know the key men if you know “The Man” who holds the keys.  Take time this week to spend time with God and let Him begin to shape and mold a proper

     image of who He says you are because His view and opinion is the foundation of all true success in life.

Amazing Grace

Allen Speegle

The Bible says we're saved by grace and that the only way to heaven is through the doorway of Grace. If you're going to get to heaven that's the only way you're going to get there. You can't earn it, you can't work for it, you can't buy it. It's just by God's grace. The Bible says, "For by grace you are saved through faith and even that is not of yourself it is the gift of God, not of works so no one could boast." If you could work your way to heaven, can you imagine how boring heaven would be? Everybody would be bragging about how they got there. The Bible says that we're simply saved by grace through faith.  

Grace is free. All you have to do is accept it. It's free to you but it's not cheap. It cost Jesus His life. Grace is the most expensive commodity there is and Jesus died on the cross to pay for it and give us access to “ALL THINGS”  we need to live and enjoy a great life. As you walk through 2008 remember it’s by grace and not our works that we have life.

Encouraging Yourself

Allen Speegle

You may have heard this great statement, There was a time in David’s life when no one was encouraging him, as a matter of fact, everyone around him wanted to kill him. That’s when we read, "but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God" (1 Samuel 30:6). Never underestimate the power of talking to yourself! Zig Ziglar said, "The most influential person who will talk to you all day is you, so you should be very careful about what you say to you!" If others don’t encourage you, encourage yourself! The Apostle John said that we "shall assure our hearts before Him" (1 John 3:19).

The Gift Giver

By Lori Speegle

As I type this, I'm sitting on my parent’s deck that faces the woods in their backyard. The air is just beginning to have a sense of autumn and through the tall trees and branches I see the sky is starting to have that crisp blue color that comes this time each year. I had decided to go out and sit on the deck to clear my thoughts but Someone else had a different plan. As I sat on the there I was reminded of my Father's love for me.

As I looked at nature I realized it had been a while since I'd just sat and enjoyed what He has for me. Too many times I get occupied with the things I don’t have or what I need and I miss out on the gift I have been blessed with. Always looking at the cup half empty can be depressing if you allow it to and lately, I had. But this morning was different. As I looked out over the woods I realized how loved I truly am. I began to hear Him whisper this is for you. This is a gift of love for you my daughter, my bride.

Just then I looked up at the trees, how great they are in height, each decorated in fascinating colors of green. My mind began to race through all the beautiful things I know He has made. From the ocean to the snowcapped mountains to sunsets on the lake, all for me He has created these things.

Have you ever been given a gift that you knew had taken time for that person to make for you? The feeling you have when receiving that gift is not the same as if someone was to stop by the store to purchase you something, no matter how nice it may be. Well, that feeling overtook me. I love thoughtful little gifts and cards from people I am close to and I realized everything around me was a handmade gift from my Father. You cannot buy what He has created.