Got regrets?
Who doesn’t?
Even Billy Graham had regrets.
I’ve been reading a fascinating book, Ask Billy Graham: The World’s Best-Loved Preacher Answers Your Most Important Questions. It’s filled with the evangelist’s wisdom on a wide range of topics, including family, politics, evangelism, and his relationship with U.S. presidents. My favorite section is entitled, “On Himself.”
Here are a few quotes that stopped me in my tracks.
Do you have any regrets?
“I should have studied more and prayed more and spent more time with my family.”
USA Today, February 5, 1998
What’s the mistake that’s been the hardest for you to live with?
“Not studying enough. I don’t think anybody considers me an intellectual or a very smart man. I’m just an ordinary man. I feel more like a plowboy back on the farm today than I ever did.”
ABC News, Primetime Live, December 30, 1993
You’ve said on a number of occasions that you consider yourself a failure. Why is that?
“I feel that if I had stayed home more, studied more, I would have done more for God and my soul. I needed to grow inside more. I traveled too much, went to too many places, accepted too many invitations.”
CNN’s Larry King Live, May 29, 2005
Here’s the man who preached the gospel to more people than anyone in history, and he wished he had spent more time studying and praying and being with his family.
I find that amazing.
It’s also encouraging to me that he was humble enough to realize this and to talk about it publicly.
I have similar regrets, especially regarding prayer. And I regret how much time I spent at the office, consumed with making more money.
How about you? If you could live your life over again, what would you do differently?
Something to think about, pray about, and repent over.
May we all be moved by the honesty of Billy Graham to seek God’s help to live more in accord with His Word and His will from this day forward.
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