HAPPY FRIDAY!
Today’s scriptures are about conviction and regret. The word regret is defined: a feeling of sorrow or remorse for a fault, act, loss, disappointment, etc. There are lot’s of people who live with regret, every day of their life, and it’s significantly impacts them. I remember I used to say that I don’t regret anything, because everything that happens in my life is meant to strengthen me, and make me a better person, however, everyone feels some type of regret at some time. We all have goals that we fail to meet, and have made stupid mistakes—that’s a part of life. We sometimes feel remorse or regret when we make mistakes, or stray from the path God laid out for us, because the Holy Spirit convicts us. Convictions are meant to promote repentance, so that we can maintain a level of righteous required to stay in the good graces of the Lord.
The wonderful thing about Jesus Christ is that He came to offer us freedom from sin, and He doesn’t condemn, or write us off, because of mistakes, or even blatant sin. He’s constantly working within us to make us better people in Christ. While on earth, before He was killed, He told His disciples that He would be leaving them. They protested that, because they would’ve experienced great remorse because of losing someone that had grown near and dear to their heart. He explained that this had to be done, for the sake of all mankind. He said: “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.” (John 14:25-27) Jesus died so we wouldn’t have to hold on to regret, and on top of that, God sent the Holy Spirit to help us minimize the things we regret, so embrace that freedom.
Are you holding on to regret right now? I can’t tell you how much that affects your overall life. It’s right up there with unforgiveness—it affects you more in the long run, then the mistake, or person you’re holding a grudge against. Life is too short to live in the past, or to allow a few mistakes to consume you. When we make mistakes, and learn from them, they we worth experiencing; you can call it a lesson learned. However when you make mistakes, or blatantly sin, and don’t learn from them, or refuse to repent, then they will haunt you, until you make things right with God. In most cases the only reason we hold on to regret is because we’ve been convicted, but we failed to confess those sins, and ask for forgiveness.
Another reason we hold on to regret is because we have had some type of disagreement or fallout with a friend or family member, and we hold a grudge, or fail to forgive that person. Jesus said: “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. (Matt. 18:15-17) In life people will hurt you, and you will hurt them, even those who are closest you to—including your parents, spouse, siblings, and children. If we allow these things to follow, and fester within us, without attempting to resolve them, they’ll have a negative impact on our life. Jesus said we should try several times to work things out, but if at the end we can’t, let it go and move on. We’ve done our best. However, if you don’t try to resolve these matters, then you will forever wonder what if, and live with that regret.
To be honest with you, there are a lot of things I’ve regretted in my life, however, I don’t regret them anymore, because I sought God’s reasoning behind them. I asked Him why I had to do these things, or why I still do them, and He always answers. I stay open to the truth, but sometimes the truth hurts (I think that’s another reason why people don’t face their past, and hold on to regrets). In most cases I’m just being convicted, and once I repent, those feelings of emptiness or remorse fades, and my peace if restored. If you don’t know Jesus as Lord, then you’ll surely live with lots of regret. Take a few moments to get to know Him, start with the God Quiz today. My favorite verse today is: Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head: therefore my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me. (Psalm 40:12-13)
ENJOY! http://www.bible.com/scripture-detail.php?juli=2455513&dtype=Scripture
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http://www.intouch.org/magazine/daily-devotional
I love you!
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