Have you ever had someone ask, “if you could go back and live your life over, would you do it?” I don’t know what your answer is but mine has always been – No!
Yes, I’ve done things in my past that I’m not proud of, made some big mistakes and some little ones. But if I went back, would I do it any differently, would I make fewer mistakes or more? Can’t answer that one, however, I can answer this. I can live my life now, not looking back because I have been forgiven and I am a new creature in Christ – old things have passed away and all has become new. God has promised that he puts our sins as far as the east is from the west and He remembers them no more. So if He’s not dwelling on my failures – why should I?
“Young people can live a clean life by obeying your word. 10 I worship you with all my heart. Don’t let me walk away from your commands. 11 I treasure your word above all else; it keeps me from sinning against you. 12 I praise you, Lord! Teach me your laws. 13 With my own mouth, I tell others the laws that you have spoken. 14 Obeying your instructions brings as much happiness as being rich. 15 I will study your teachings and follow your footsteps. 16 I will take pleasure in your laws and remember your words.” Psalm 119:9-16
The very first thought is living pure as a young person. You do that by obeying God’s word and following it with your whole heart. This keeps you from making stupid mistakes and living with regrets. King David who wrote this lived his life as a young man serving God and following His word. He was single-minded in His obedience to God’s word and because of it David was selected by God to be Saul’s successor and the king of Israel. A young man still in his teens, David became known as a “man after God’s heart”.
As parents and grandparents we should be sharing the value of God’s word with the young people in our lives. Not beating them over the head with the Bible and a list of do’s and don’ts but making it practical – showing them that God is real and can be trusted. The people in the Bible aren’t mythical stories but real just like they are and faced some difficult challenges and came through them trusting God and depending on Him. David was probably 17 when he faced Goliath; Joseph was but a young man in his late teens when his brothers sold him into slavery, he faced being seduced by his master’s wife, prison time and rose to power and never gave in to bitterness or hatred towards his brothers. Esther was a young woman taken into a king’s harem and she maintained godly character in a harsh and hostile environment.
How does a young man keep his life pure – by following God’s word!
Now for us who are a bit older – we can enjoy this trusting relationship with the Lord too. We can treasure God’s word above everything else and it will keep us from sin. Holding our tongue, refusing to be unkind, not caving to compromise when it could lead to our advancement at work; refusing to worry; fighting political correctness when it goes against God’s word; doing what’s right because it’s right will bring joy and happiness. These are the things that bring true success.
Each one of the Bible characters I mentioned above rose to power and prominence because they honored God. Those things didn’t come first, they followed. Jesus said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33
Have the Holy Spirit show you today one thing – large or small – where you have been compromising, repent and then ask Him to show you how to follow in His footsteps. Find a verse that gives you instruction on how to deal with the area that needs correction – meditate it, memorize it. “Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” Psalm 119:11
If you’re going to make a New Year’s Resolution make it one to follow God’s word and you will find true purpose.