It’s that sinking feeling in your stomach as the words slip out before you can catch them. Or maybe the heaviness in your chest when you see an old friend walk by, now a total stranger. Living with regret looks different for each person, but it can be crippling for anyone.
The good news is that living with Jesus means we have a way to move past regret and find healing.
The weight of regret
Living with regret can really mess with our heads:
- Guilt: Maybe it was only a few seconds of angry yelling, but now you’ve felt the guilt of a broken relationship for weeks.
- Shame: Have you ever wondered if you’ll be able to move past your mistakes or if you’re doomed to repeat the cycle over and over? That’s shame talking.
- Sorrow: Regret brings grief and sorrow as we wish we could go back in time and fix the mistake.
When we don’t deal with regret in our lives, it can keep us stuck in the past, thinking again and again what we should have done differently. It makes us afraid to try again for fear of repeating mistakes. It can be hard to forgive ourselves when we mess up.
The good news is, Jesus offered a way out of the heartache of regret!
The biblical view of regret
There’s a man in the Bible named Peter. Peter was one of Jesus’ closest earthly friends, but at the end of Jesus’ life, Peter ran away from Jesus and denied that he knew him. The regret of having failed in his friendship weighed on Peter’s mind big time. But Jesus came back to Peter, offering forgiveness and restoration. Peter wasn’t defined by his regret; he found love and healing in Jesus.
David was another man in the Bible who did many bad things. Thousands of people died for the mistakes David made, but when he confessed where he went wrong and asked God to forgive him, God did! He allowed David to move past his mistakes and into God’s blessing for his life.
Regret does not have to define you either. Come to God with all your mistakes, failings, shortcomings, and angry thoughts. He’s strong enough to handle it all! God’s heart is full of love and forgiveness. He offers healing through Jesus to anyone who asks - and that means you too!
Moving beyond regret with Jesus
When we come to Jesus with our regrets, three things happen:
- Jesus offers freedom. Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, we can be forgiven. That means that no matter how awful your past has been, God loves you. The mistakes we made in the past don't control us anymore or define our relationship with God.
- Confession brings healing. If you’re really, truly sorry for what you did, there’s good news! God wants to forgive us and heal us–all we need to do is 1) confess to him where we fall short and 2) ask for his help. This healing allows us to be restored and made new. We can be a new life changed by Christ!
- Coming to Jesus allows us to let go of the past. Jesus makes us a new creation in him, so we can release our regrets and move forward. We don’t have to be held back by the fear of repeating mistakes.
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Practical steps to overcome regret
Finding freedom from regret does not have to be complicated!
- Confess and repent: When we take our regrets to God and admit (or confess) what we did wrong, we receive his forgiveness. We don’t have to earn it or fix the mess ourselves. All we have to do is admit that we made a mistake and seek God’s help to move forward.
- Forgive yourself: What good is it to receive God’s forgiveness if you’re still angry at yourself? Allowing God to forgive you is important, but if you don’t forgive yourself, you’ll still be trapped in regret. Let go of self-blame and self-hatred and allow yourself to walk in the freedom of God’s love.
- Live in the present: While it can be easy to let your mind dwell on past mistakes, it’s important to focus on what is happening now. It’s hard to trust that God has a better future for you when you’re always looking over your shoulder into the past. Set your eyes forward and walk confidently.
Finding hope and peace in Jesus
God has a beautiful purpose for your life. Regret cannot take that away. Philippians 4:7 shares how the peace of God will protect our hearts and minds when we trust in him.
Even in the middle of dealing with regret, we can look to Jesus. He wants you to experience peace! With Jesus, no regret is too big or too heavy for him to forgive. You can always start fresh when you give your regret to Jesus.
You don't have to live with regret.
Living with regret is something we have all experienced. But the good news is that we don’t have to stay there! Jesus offers forgiveness, healing, and a new path forward.
If you’re struggling with regret today, turn to Jesus. Jesus wants to heal your heart. He wants to help you move forward with hope and freedom.
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Being able to forgive yourself and others is an important step in living free from regret. Not sure where to start in finding freedom through forgiveness? Here’s our take on how to get it right with the people who matter most.
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LCBC stands for Lives Changed By Christ. We are one church in multiple locations across Pennsylvania. Find the location closest to you or join us for Church Online. We can’t wait to connect with you!