For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  Romans 3:23

We’ve all had them and the older we get, the more they pile up. They are the regrets for the wrong decisions we have made. Often, they have brought lasting and painful consequences. Some were recent and some from a long time ago. Some may be family and social, some relationships and some financial. Some bring shame and guilt.

But remember, you are not alone. We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We all have made decisions we wish we had never made. Remember that God has a plan for forgiveness and restoration. Often the consequences of our wrong decisions will linger, maybe for a lifetime. But forgiveness and restoration is now.

Talk to God openly about your weaknesses, failures and mistakes. Repent of any wrongdoing. Repentance means you’re sincerely sorry and you want to make a change.

Overcoming shame and guilt is possible with Christ’s help. He has paid the price for our sins, even the worst sins that cause us to feel guilt and shame. 1 John 1:9 says when we confess our sins, he forgives us and purifies us. This means we do not need to let shame and guilt control us. Shame and guilt are tools of Satan!

Finding compassion and contentment in life is an inside job. No one else can give these things to you. Worrying is like paying interest on a debt that never comes due. It is never too late to be all that we can be. We can live in the darkness or fight our way into the light.

We have all traded what really matters for something that doesn’t really matter. We are defined by our choices.

Regret can draw us to salvation. Paul tells us that “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation” (2 Corinthians 7:10) and that it is God’s kindness that brings us to repentance (Romans 2:4).

Regret is sorrow or remorse over something that has happened or that we have done. Regret can also be a sense of disappointment over what has not happened, such as regretting wasted years. To be human is to have regrets because making mistakes is a universal experience.

The Bible gives much instruction that, if followed, will result in fewer regrets. God’s commands and boundaries are written down for us in His Word, and the more we adhere to them, the less we have to regret. However, in God’s grace and mercy, He has also provided a way to deal with regrets when we have not lived as wisely as He wants us to.

Bring your regrets to God and He will lead you to a path of joy.

by John Grant
used by permission

FURTHER READING

• No Regrets –  by Rand Kreycik
• The Dark and Lonely Closet of Regret – by John Fischer
• Don’t Waste Your Sorrow – by Allan Mitchell
• God Uses Sorrow for Good – by Bill Bright

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The post Regrets appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Do you carry a load of guilt? 

So many do.

If our spiritual baggage were visible, do you know what you would see?

Suitcases of guilt, bulging with binges, blowups, and compromises. The kid with the baggy jeans and the nose ring? He’d give anything to retract the words he said to his mother. But he can’t, so he tows them along. The woman in the business suit that looks like she could run for Senator?  She can’t run at all, not hauling that carpet bag wherever she goes. So what do we do?

In Psalm 23:3 David said it like this,

“He leads me in the paths of righteousness.”

The path of righteousness is a narrow, winding trail up a steep hill.  At the top is a cross. At the base of the cross are bags, countless bags full of innumerable sins

By Max Lucado
From: Traveling Light
Used by permission

To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:    
https://maxlucado.com/about/

Further Reading

•  Struggles, Despair

•  More than a Father

•  Salvation Explained

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The post Leave Your Guilt at Calvary appeared first on Thoughts About God.

I met with a man the other day who was bemoaning the fact that earlier in life he had missed the opportunity to be the family leader he had intended to be. Neglecting his responsibilities he lead a life of selfish indulgence. Now later in life, he is missing the joy of being involved with family… including his grandchildren. Reflecting back over the past he acknowledges that his walking away from his early love of the Lord and doing his own thing has invoked irrevocable consequences. He is back on track with his walk with the Lord. I can only pray that the Lord would bring healing into his family struggles.

My prayer for you this week

“Lord, Oh, that our hearts would be inclined to fear you and keep all your commands always, so that it might go well with us and our children forever! In Jesus name, Amen.” Deuteronomy 5:29

Have a great week

By Alec Niemi

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