4 minute read 

by Bethany Rees 

“Dear…” Series: Many of us put on a brave face or wear a mask to hide our internal struggles with: guilt, fear, comparison, unworthiness, regret, unforgiveness, rejection, anger, and grief. The “Dear…” series is dedicated to shedding light, hope, and freedom on these internal battles that we often face alone. BUT, we are not alone! Because of Jesus, we can win our battles and find freedom.

Dear Regret,

Our relationship is over! Your negative presence tries to hide God’s grace and mercy from me, but it can no longer cast a shadow over my salvation nor the freedom and peace found in Jesus.   

You convince me that every success in every area of my life depends on me being in control of a situation and performing perfectly. And yet because I am human, I am never perfect. So you use my lack of perfection against me by keeping me looking at the past with remorse for the things I did poorly or things I should have done but didn’t. 

You yell lies of condemnation to try to drown out the Holy Spirit’s calling of repentance, forgiveness, and freedom.   

Regret, you are nothing more than an empty threat based on lies and God has changed my heart and mind concerning you. 

I Confess: 

You have kept me from embracing God’s grace and mercy long enough! I confess that I allowed your replays of my mistakes and failures to keep me as a hostage from moving forward in my faith so I can experience true freedom in my Savior Jesus. 

It is I that believed your lies that God could never forgive or overcome the mistakes of a wretch like me, but now I see you for what you really are: 

• a liar that tries to hide God’s love for me as shown through his grace and mercy in the forgiveness of my sins 
• a manipulator that made me think my actions carried more weight on the outcome of a situation than that of my mighty God…who is sovereign over the past, present, and future
• an arrogance that kept me from trusting in the divine will of God and from learning the lesson from God’s loving discipline when I strayed from His path. 
• a chain trying to keep me hostage to my past mistakes so that I am too paralyzed to move forward in healing, freedom, and wisdom

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

I Repent:

The reruns that you play in my head to remind me of my past mistakes and failures as a Christian, spouse, parent, and professional are no longer allowed to be broadcast on the screen of my mind and heart.

I no longer feel imprisoned by your constant reminders of what I did or should have done to improve the outcome of my life, my relationships, or my status in the world.  

Through thanksgiving, I will continue to receive God’s love, grace, and mercy because they are new every morning.  If God of the universe forgives me of my shortcomings, so will I. Through humility, I will surrender my will and desire for control to God daily and ask for his wisdom and discernment in all things.

Acts 3:19-20a “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” 

Lamentations 3:22-23 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

I Cast Off:

Regret, in the name of Jesus, I rebuke you. 

You no longer have the power to filter my memories so the negative overshadows the blessings. I will come to God with a heart of worship for who He is, gratitude for what He has done, and surrender to what He will do.

Ecclesiastes 7:10, 14 “Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.” “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.”

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

I Bless:

In reading God’s word, I am reminded of who God is and that He turns all things for my good and His glory. I am a work of progress as God sanctifies me (sets me apart) for His good purpose. 

Psalm 103: 8-13 “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”

Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

So Regret, by the time you read this blog post…know that I have laid you and your mental torment at the foot of the cross. I am free of you. 

I am no longer a prisoner of my past mistakes and failures, nor do I have to fight for control in situations because it’s not my will I want to see come to fruition but the Lord’s.

Know Better. Do Better. Live Better. Release Regret.

Rocks before Sand!

Scripture: 

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead,  I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” ~ Philippians 3:13-14

Theme Song: 

Tenth Avenue North - Greater Than All My Regrets (Official Music Video)

Cats In The Cradle - Harry Chapin (HD With Lyrics)

 References Used:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Bible Verses About Regret: 

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Acts 3:19-20a “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” 

Lamentations 3:22-23 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

Ecclesiastes 7:10, 14 “Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?” For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.” “In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.”

Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose”

Philippians 1:6 “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”