What people regret most at death and why you should care now
What people regret most at death and why you should care now
Many people believe that repenting while one is still young and healthy is meaningless because they think they can always repent later. This is the suggestion of the devil, who wants the soul to get used to more and more sins and deceive themselves with repentance later.
Sin seems fun, but in reality, it isn’t:
At first glance, a life of debauchery and sin seems like a wonderful thing, one to be proud of; however, in reality, sin is the worst sickness a person can have. Sin not only kills the soul but creates a deep scar that even confession cannot take away.
The scars:
Let us assume the sinner is genuinely sorry for his sins and receives pardon for the guilt of these sins; he indeed won’t be condemned to hell for them anymore. However, some things linger, e.g., temporal punishment due to that sin, the regret, and self-criticism that this sin breeds which can encourage or cripple the soul, evil habit, and susceptibility towards this sin. So, what exactly is fun about this? There can be nothing fun in waging war against Almighty God and his merciful Heart, nor can there be anything fun in putting our eternal salvation at risk for one fleeting moment of pleasure.
So, fight:
Working hard to avoid sin while one is alive is a task that everyone is obliged to undertake. It isn’t easy, but it is very beneficial to the soul. Habitual sins might be challenging to shake off, but what matters here is that one uses every fiber of their being to fight both sins and those situations that expose the soul to the risk of committing them.
Some of those regrets:
Where one has not done everything they can to avoid living a sinful life, at death, the devil uses those same “enjoyments” to cripple and overload his conscience by blowing the sins out of proportions and belittling the mercy of God. That final struggle is so vital that it is crucial to do everything now to prepare for them.
- Giving bad examples and scandalizing others.
- Not paying attention to those around us who are suffering
- Taking credit for everything good in my life and blaming others for the bad.
- Becoming a barrier to others in achieving their lives’ goals
- Spending money and time on useless things.
- Refusing to forgive or taking too long to.
- Taking advantage of others, especially those who trusted me and those who are vulnerable. Worse still, those who are entrusted to my care.
- Indulging so much in self-deception even when the truth was clear to me.
- Complaining too much, needlessly.
- For not praying as much as I am supposed to, especially failing to give thanks.
- For using the gifts God has given me to contribute to destroying myself, others, or the world. Or for letting those gifts go unused in helping those around me and myself.
- An unbridled tongue: for vulgarity, insults, etc.
- Participating in mocking God, his Church, or his laws.
- Making unfulfiled promises, especially those I never intended to meet.
- Wasting many opportunities to show love and care.
- Ignoring Jesus, especially in the Blessed Sacrament.
- Hurting those around me needlessly.
- Not valuing the love of Jesus and devotion to the Blessed Mother.
- Finally, for not taking care of my soul as I should and for postponing repentance and confession.
What people regret most at death and why you should care now
Conclusion:
Forming a habit of caring, of telling yourself the truth now, will help at death a lot. Nothing will be exaggerated to the point of uneasiness or dangerous self-pity. You will have the peace of a life lived well or at least the ease that comes from knowing you honestly DID YOUR BEST. So, what I always preach isn’t just doing the right thing but honestly doing one’s best to follow God’s precepts, the Church’s, and a person’s conscience.
Let us pray for a happy death:
Most holy Virgin Immaculate, my Mother Mary, I love you, O most lovable Lady, and because of my love for you, I promise to serve you always and to do all in my power to win others to love you also. In your hands, I place all my hopes; I entrust the salvation of my soul to your care. Accept me as your servant, O Mother of Mercy; receive me under your mantle. And since you have such power with God, deliver me from all temptations, or rather, obtain for me the strength to triumph over them until death. Of you, I ask the grace of perfect love for Jesus Christ. Through your help, I hope to die a happy death. O my Mother, I beg you, by the love you bear my God, to help me at all times, but especially at the last moment of my life. Do not leave me, I beseech you, until you see me safe in Heaven, blessing you and singing your mercies for all eternity, Amen. So I hope, so may it be.
What people regret most at death and why you should care now
The purpose of grace is to help us resist sin. The process of opening up to this grace is well described in 1Peter 5:5-7 which tells us to “be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, Casting all of your care upon him; for he careth for you.”