It’s time for another book giveaway. Once again, I’m featuring a Guideposts devotional book, the new Mornings with Jesus 2016. For my fourth year now, I’ve been privileged to join a team of other gifted writers to compose the Mornings with Jesus devotionals, including this one.
Studying the life of Jesus and reading and learning more about Him each year as I write these devotions, always fills me with a new love and passion for Christ. And every year as I experience more of His love and grace, Jesus grows even more precious to me.
Here’s an excerpt from one of the devotions I contributed to this book:
Distress that drives us to God does that. It turns us around. It gets us back in the way of salvation. We never regret that kind of pain. But those who let distress drive them away from God are full of regrets. 2 Corinthians 7:10 (MSG)
I enjoy reading about Jesus’s encounters with those He met, and how their lives were drastically changed because of Him. When I look at their sordid backgrounds and activities, I realize most were lost and without hope. But Jesus came “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
For the most part, those individuals made a 180-degree turn, because Jesus’s forgiveness and love spun them around and spurred them to a new way of living. They left their old lives behind.
Zacchaeus, a short, hated tax collector was pursued by Jesus. After he encountered Jesus, he wanted to give away half of his possessions to the poor and return over four times what he’d acquired through his cheating habits. (Luke 19:8). Jesus also shared His grace and mercy with the woman at the well. The first thing she did was to leave her water jar at the well and run to tell others about Jesus and what He had done for her. (John 4:28-29).
In the past, I’ve wasted both time and energy looking over my shoulder. Regrets can paralyze us. But I noticed in each of Jesus’s encounters, the people didn’t focus time on regrets. They focused on Jesus, the great Life-changer.
Years ago, I got tired of craning my neck to look backwards. So I adopted a new slogan for my life with Jesus’s help: “No guilt, no regrets; only grace and gratitude—and joy.” Each time the temptation arises to linger on regrets, I remember to rest in Jesus and repeat those words.
What a difference that’s made in my life! – Rebecca Barlow Jordan
Faith Step: Do you waste time thinking about past regrets? Today, rest in Jesus and write your own life motto.
(c) 2015 by Guideposts. All Rights Reserved.
How have you overcome regrets? What helps you to move forward instead of backward?
The book giveaway has ended and a winner drawn. If you would like to purchase copies, check out Mornings with Jesus 2016.
