William Borden came from a life of incredible riches, anything that money could buy within his grasp. The heir to a considerable family inheritance was given a trip around the world on his 16th birthday. While traveling around the world, William became increasingly burdened for the lost, and on his return home, he studied at Princeton University. In the back of his Bible, he penned the words, “No reserves.” Upon his graduation, his family pleaded with him to lead the family business. His response was that the mission field was far too important to him. In his bible he then wrote, “No retreat.” William travelled to Egypt on his way to become a missionary in China, and it was there that he contracted meningitis and died within three weeks. His mother, finding his Bible, discovered the last words her son had penned in the back of it: “No regrets!” This was a young man who had every earthly blessing available to him but realized that heavenly blessings were far more important.
The problem with regret is that it causes you to look back, to be disappointed, or to feel that you have missed an opportunity. Remember Lot’s wife? She looked back, instead of looking towards a future in a land the LORD had promised, instead of obedience to the Father, regret made her look back. Jesus mentions her in Luke 17:31-32: “On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. Remember Lot’s wife!”
Lot’s wife was so attached to her worldly blessings and riches that she couldn’t move forward into God’s promises. For her, wealth and prosperity were more important than the host of spiritual blessings that awaited her. And so she was turned to salt, frozen forever in a state of regret.
How I want to be like William Borden, or like Paul himself, who wrote Ephesians from his place in prison. How I want to live a life of sacrifice where the pull of the comforts of the world doesn’t drag me in. I confess, my flesh desires to live a life of comfort, and the constant battering of social media and advertising pulls me into wanting more. The cry of my heart is to focus on those heavenly blessings spoken about by Paul, to be able to live a life of “No regrets!”
Reflections
- Are there areas in your life where you see the words “reserve,” “retreat,” or “regret” quietly shaping your own decisions? What are the comforts or fears that make it harder for you to fully obey God when He calls you to something new or different?
- What are you often tempted to “look back” upon when God invites you to trust Him with your future? Is it security, possessions, recognition, approval, or a way of life that feels much easier than stepping out?
- If someone were to read about you and the story of your life, what would they see mattered the most to you?
Step-by-Step
Take some time to pray and write out your own three-phrase declaration—inspired by William Borden’s “No Reserves. No Retreat. No Regrets.” Write it somewhere that is always before your eyes, in your Bible, your journal, or even the front of your phone, a daily reminder to not look back and live with “No Regrets.”
Claire's Prayer 