At the heart of this question lies a worry that many feel in making life’s major decisions. What if I subsequently regret the most important decision in my life? The same question could also be said of the decision to get married or to stay single.
Today’s society tends to see all things as temporary and so many delay life’s important decisions until much later in life. However, this is not always healthy. In making our decisions we should ask God for the light to understand His plan for our lives and then move forward with confidence. For encouragement we can take the words of the Book of Proverbs to heart:
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not; In all your ways be mindful of Him and He will make straight your paths.” (Prov. 3:5-6)
The best way not to “regret” a major life choice is to firstly have made them with the appropriate discernment and then to live that life well. According to the Oxford Dictionary the definition of “to discern” is to show good judgement. When you use good judgement in discerning the Lord’s call you are far less likely to ever regret your decision. Living our vocation to the full and growing in love with the Lord is the best antidote to regret. As time goes by one tends to mature in love, not to regress, therefore a life long committment to the Lord is possible with His grace. We must do our best to love Him and for the rest we must trust the Lord, always remembering that “nothing will be impossible for God” (Lk 1:37).