All of us want to live a life without regrets. But is that even possible? Yes and no.

The reality is that we will all navigate feelings of guilt, shame, and regrets. The reason is because they are powerful.

At the end of 2 Timothy, Paul says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” 

Imagine getting to the end of your life and saying that. Saying I have done what I was supposed to do. I left it all on the field of life. I kept the faith. I ran my race.

But how does that happen? How do you and I get to where we can say that?

Much of what is in 2 Timothy is Paul telling Timothy (and us) how to make that true in our lives.

In chapter 2, he tells us three things that are true of a person who can say that: they are approved by God, they are pure, and they are a servant.

Approved by God

Paul tells Timothy that a follower of Jesus is one of God’s. Paul says in verse 19: God knows who belongs to Him. What a promise. 

Many of us, though, struggle to believe that God loves us. We spend most of our lives trying to earn God’s love, trying to prove ourselves to God, trying to beat our willpower into submission instead of living in the grace of God. This is why Paul says in chapter 2, verse 1: Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 

Right now, as a follower of Jesus, you have all of God’s love, all of God’s approval, all of God’s attention. There isn’t anything you can do to get more of God’s love, acceptance, and attention. 

What would it look like today to live as if that were true?

One of the things I’ve started to do is ask God for help in believing this when I struggle to believe it. 

Pure

Paul then says that the person who lives without regrets, the person God uses significantly, is pure. 

He uses the illustration of vessels in a house; there is gold and silver for a particular use, honorable use, and some things made for dishonorable use.

God uses those who are holy, set apart, different, and clean.

One of the themes in this book is Paul’s saying how he has lived his life without regrets; he has a clear conscience.

In your life, do you strive for purity? Do you have things to help you have a pure heart, mind, body, and soul?

Servant

The third and final thing Paul says about a person God uses is they are a servant. 

All of this connects to the verses before (2 Timothy 2:1 – 13), where Paul says that a follower of Jesus is like a soldier, athlete, and farmer. 

A servant seeks to serve their master and Lord. Which is the heartbeat of every follower of Jesus: to serve the will of God. 

Do you look for opportunities to serve God and others? Without getting any glory?