Have you ever lived in regret? You acted or reacted in a way you wish you could take back. If you could relive that moment, you would do things differently. Make different choices. Sadly, nobody can go back undo past mistakes. No matter how much we may relive those moments in our minds, we cannot undo the past.
All we can do is repent. To agree with God about mistakes, poor choices, and our sin. It is a sobering thing to look at yourself in the mirror of God's word and admit your guilt. No amount of beating yourself up will change anything. No matter how much you wish you would have acted differently can change the end results. There are consequences for actions. We hurt God, ourselves, and those around us. We have to face the facts like King David did in Psalm 51. The whole Psalm is one of repentance for committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband killed. You can fill the pain, sorrow, and anguish as David repents.
Repentance is not a word used frequently by most people. It needs to be. It's one thing to live in regret. It is a whole other thing to live in repentance. Regret should lead to repentance. Why repent? Repentance is ultimately redemptive. Repentance is taking responsibility for our own guilt. Repentance is accepting the consequences of our choices. The redemptive part of forgiveness is receiving the forgiveness and restoration from God we do not deserve. God forgives our sin. Ps 103:8-12 I Jn 1:9 Redemption is about God dealing with us in grace as opposed to justice, or what we deserve.
Regret is condemning. Repentance is painful. Redemption is healing. Regret alone will only heap more guilt on us. Repentance may not be pleasant, but it leads us to cleansing with God. Redemption restores our fellowship with God.
It is a waste of time living in the muck and mire of regret. Wishing you had said yes when you said no, or vice versa. It does not help our cause when we constantly live in the past missing out on what God has for us next. If God wiped His hands of guilty sinners, He never would have used David, Peter, Saul, and millions of others. Repentance is constantly clearing our sin debt through the shed blood and grace of Jesus. Repentance is living with an undefiled heart. Repentance comes from the kindness of God who leads us to turn from our evil ways and seek His forgiveness. Romans 2:4 Thank God for regret that leads to repentance.
