ABRAHAM

LIVE ON PURPOSE - NO REGRETS

DECEMBER 30, 2001

WOODS CROSS GROUP

I am ABRAHAM. Greetings. Your group is literally a bright light on the planet. Your willingness to keep pursuing the spiritual life is always an inspiration to me. It is small groups such as this that will create great change. Even though you are all quite different you each have common goals.

As the new year approaches many of you will make resolutions and goals to work toward throughout the year. While this is commendable, many times it is somewhat of a disappointment when these goals are not fulfilled, and there it is we find yet another thing to regret about ourselves.

When you focus on living intentionally, living on purpose, you are committed to having any experience that comes your way, good or bad. You are committed to being willing to experience and learn and grow from it. You that gather in these weekly meeting and others who are committed to fight the good fight of faith are co-creators in destiny. To be a co-creator you must allow yourselves to be spirit led.

Without divine guidance we would surely live an existence of chaos and disorder. In the willingness to be spirit led we find comfort and confidence to move about in the world, to live intentionally, to be a participator instead of a spectator. To live on purpose you commit to Father that you can do the Kingdom work for the soul purpose of glorifying Him.

Tonight I would say a few words on living a life of regret. To be regretful of the past experience is to invalidate yourself as a learning spiritual being. To continually replay those remorseful mistakes in your mind keeps you from living life intentionally. Those regretful experiences keep you in fear of venturing towards new avenues in mortal living. Regret is heavy and bonding and not in the present moment awareness.

Certainly we are accountable for all our actions, but to be so fear-stricken by regretful past experiences is to close off to the new. Your experience has been your best teacher. Your mistakes have been assignments. Those experiences you most regret have taught you the greatest lessons. Some individuals can be so regretful of missed opportunities, chances not taken, and spend a lifetime in self-punishment. This is not liberty and allowing growth. This is discouraging and taking away personal confidence.

I realize you must make decisions everyday and all you can hope for is that you were spirit-led in them. There is no doubt you will make mistakes. Do not allow those mistakes to weigh you down with regret, taking from you your God given right to have liberty. Yes, live intentionally, allow yourselves to be spirit-led. Know that mistakes are inevitable, but do not discourage that spirit within to keep pursuing that divine path. Have the courage to be held accountable for your actions. You do whatever it takes to correct, but do not allow regret to take from you your feelings of worthiness and confidence as a beloved child of God. Do not allow those past dark clouds of regret to keep hanging over you blocking out new light.

There was a man who had a disagreement with his father. It was really quite meaningless and petty, but these two individuals did not have anything more to do with each other. The obstinacy of the two individuals had taken away many years of what could have been a loving and uplifting relationship. This man's father had died without ever having resolved these issues.

Of course, the man was quite regretful and with a great self-loathing. Most everyday he came across one thing or another that would remind him how petty and small he had been with his father. The pain and regret was soulfully crushing. He tried to make excuses for his behavior, but he found those empty and dissatisfying. He attempted to put the blame of the disintegrating relationship onto his stubborn father, but that also proved to be creating further unresolved issues.

The man's regret led to seeking avenues of escape. He became an alcoholic and was abusive to his wife and children. This also led to him losing his family and again facing further regret. Had this man been spiritually stable he could have perhaps taken these steps towards healing instead. Facing the fact that he had been petty and small in the first place would have been crushing to the ego, but opening up the learning spirit.

The man could have realized he is an imperfect being and admitted he was ego led. He could have accepted the challenge that humility brings. Humility is an opening for God to reach the child-soul. Instead of regretting the man should have faced the realities of what really happened and simply grieved, grieved for as long as he needed to. Praying for understanding and guidance would have been another great assistance to him.

Yes, the man would have had regret, but in facing it courageously he could have dealt with it in the moment. He could find that place where he could challenge regret and not have regret control him. This man could have bravely held himself accountable for his wrong actions and put them honestly before God.

Will God punish him? No. Father will however show him those areas that need improvement. Father will enhance understanding and show the reasons why this man acted in the manner that he did. This is a process really to work through to guard against the weight of being regretful and going through with self-punishment.

In living intentionally go forth with spiritual power and purpose of an adult in the Kingdom. Be not afraid as the hiding child, dragging a heavy bag of regrets, with eyes toward the ground, feeling separated from God and the world. Move with forward purpose, not with backward regret. Be not afraid to be held accountable for your decisions and actions. This is all a part of the adventure, children. You are not an ignorant victim of the mortal life, no. You are intelligent spiritual seeking challengers. Do not allow regret to lead to more regret, more mistakes. Heal those regretful moments with Father at the time they happen.

Our fellow from the story could have avoided alcoholism and the loss of his family had he dealt with the present regret. The closer you are to the spiritual life, the more you will walk with spiritual comfort and confidence, the more you will feel at home in the world, the more you will trust in Father and your ability to be spirit led. Put your human regrets into a spiritual perspective--that they are merely lessons that probably most everyone who dwells in this mortal body will experience at one time or another.

I am unable to take questions this evening, but I would ask you to journal this weeks lessons contemplation's. Are there unresolved regrets that burden you down and keep you in a cycle of further regret, further self-punishment? What steps can you take toward freeing yourself from that burden that takes from you your self-confidence, your spiritual comfort? What mortal habits or actions are you engaging in to cover over the pain of past regret and how can you break free? Know that always my love is increasing each time we meet. Until next week, shalom.

END