No Regrets
I don't know about you but, I've made some choices in my life that have gotten me into trouble. Somehow, I managed to ease past the law and not get into big trouble. It got me thinking when it comes to our stories.
Our past is riddled with choices we have made. Our present holds the consequences of those choices. Our future is offering another chance. I think about my personal story and how the choices I've made in the past have, ultimately, gotten me where I am now. The decision to live where I live. The decision to work where I work. The decision to not date that guy. The decision to leave the country for a year. The decision to go out with that group of friends. So. Many. Decisions.
And as I pondered my past, I found myself face to face with that word...
Regret.
I would be lying if I said that I had absolutely no regrets. Sure, I've made some choices that I wish I hadn't. Or even moments that I didn't do something that I wish I had. Yes. There are some regrets. However, since digging deeper into my relationship with Jesus, the regrets are fewer.
I think about the Israelites and what God said to them in Isaiah, after recounting them walking through the Red Sea and how God destroyed the army behind them:
There is another verse that I love to look at when thinking about my past:
How freeing is that???
This perspective has helped me realize I have few regrets. The reason is that, most of those choices that have caused me deep regret before, were choices I made before I had my Jesus filter. And since giving my life to HIM, my choices have changed. Even when my sinful nature steps in, I know that when I continue to walk the straight and narrow... when I turn my back to those choices... when I run to Jesus and cry out, "Forgive me! I need help!"... He answers. He is there. And life continues to move forward.
I can't even put into words how amazing this FREEDOM feels. The chains are broken. I am made new.
And so are you dear sister.
We learn from our past. Regrets or not. It is part of our seasoning and can be made into an amazing tale of redemption... glorifying our heavenly Father.
This is part of both of our stories. We all have a past. We're living our present. Our future is in the hands of the Almighty one.
Our past is riddled with choices we have made. Our present holds the consequences of those choices. Our future is offering another chance. I think about my personal story and how the choices I've made in the past have, ultimately, gotten me where I am now. The decision to live where I live. The decision to work where I work. The decision to not date that guy. The decision to leave the country for a year. The decision to go out with that group of friends. So. Many. Decisions.
And as I pondered my past, I found myself face to face with that word...
Regret.
I would be lying if I said that I had absolutely no regrets. Sure, I've made some choices that I wish I hadn't. Or even moments that I didn't do something that I wish I had. Yes. There are some regrets. However, since digging deeper into my relationship with Jesus, the regrets are fewer.
I think about the Israelites and what God said to them in Isaiah, after recounting them walking through the Red Sea and how God destroyed the army behind them:
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43:18-19This was a message to the Israelites when God called them out on their ungratefulness and lack of praise to Him. Of course, as a human, I have to say I can relate to their feelings of bitterness and selfishness. Sometimes it's hard to remember the goodness when all you can see are the negative. It takes a good slap in the face to remind yourself how amazingly faithful God has been in so many ways. I love how this passage can still relate to our lives now. If you are in a season of life, dealing with regret, and you are frustrated with God, perhaps it's time to remind yourself of the goodness. The moments when He rescued you and held you tight.
There is another verse that I love to look at when thinking about my past:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: the old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17How wonderful is that? When we give our hearts to Jesus... when we hold out our hands and offer up every part of our life and move forward with new perspective... with new eyes... HIS eyes that filter out the right from the wrong... we are new. The past is gone! Hallelujah! Praise Jesus! Woop woop!
How freeing is that???
This perspective has helped me realize I have few regrets. The reason is that, most of those choices that have caused me deep regret before, were choices I made before I had my Jesus filter. And since giving my life to HIM, my choices have changed. Even when my sinful nature steps in, I know that when I continue to walk the straight and narrow... when I turn my back to those choices... when I run to Jesus and cry out, "Forgive me! I need help!"... He answers. He is there. And life continues to move forward.
I can't even put into words how amazing this FREEDOM feels. The chains are broken. I am made new.
And so are you dear sister.
We learn from our past. Regrets or not. It is part of our seasoning and can be made into an amazing tale of redemption... glorifying our heavenly Father.
This is part of both of our stories. We all have a past. We're living our present. Our future is in the hands of the Almighty one.
