No one lives this life without making at least one regrettable decision. For most of us, we may feel as though we have made a few of them. God does not want us to look at the past and wonder what could have or should have been. He wants us to trust He will intervene and help us even when we take a wrong turn. No matter what, don’t let regret steal your joy. God knows how to use what the enemy meant for evil and work it out for our good (Genesis 50:20), but we must trust him.
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I prayerfully write a new post each week and want to be faithful and authentic. The truth is, sometimes, I catch myself struggling with a feeling of regret. I believe that God is leading me to write this post despite my discomfort, as I know I need to continue working in this area. Allow me to be obedient and share my testimony and personal story in this post.
I am happily married to my college sweetheart, Jeffrey, but that has not always been the case. Avery was born when I was young, fresh out of college, and unmarried. As you can imagine, this was a difficult time because back then, the thought was that if you were pregnant, you should get married. Although we loved our son, Avery, we did not marry and eventually split up. It was not until Avery was sixteen that we returned to each other.
God knows how to give His children good gifts even when it seems our lives have taken a wrong turn. God can change regret into joy if we ask and trust Him. When I dedicated my life to God and determined to live a surrendered life, God proved to me that he was in my corner. He could take all the pieces of my shattered heart and disappointing expectations, mold them in His hands, and create a life full of love and joy. Knowing that God has turned my regrets into joy, I am convinced there is no wrong turn that God can not help me correct.
I praise God for all of my blessings and am very thankful for second chances, but we all must stay alert because the enemy wants to steal our joy. Sometimes, I see myself wishing I had not lost so many precious years when Avery was young. Thoughts like that can catch me off guard and take me down the “guilt trip road.” I can get carried away wondering where I would be if only, but God does not want us to live in regret.
The Enemy Wants to Condemn Us With Regret From Our Past
The enemy wants us to condemn our past by reminding us of our poor choices. The enemy’s goal is to stop us from praising God. He makes us believe that our best days have long passed, and we have irreversibly missed out on opportunities. We must remember that we serve a God who specializes in miracles. No matter where life has taken us, we must not forget that God knows where we are. He will order our steps if we allow Him.
Regardless of our past, we serve a God who has promised to forgive and forget our mistakes. The Bible says that when we ask for forgiveness, God removes our sin as far as the East is from the West. Jesus died for each of our mistakes, and we must be willing to give Him our past, present, and future.
Resist Regret From the Enemy with Prayer and Praise
Although it may seem harmless to entertain trips down “memory lane” with the enemy, he will cause us to feel bad if we are not careful. We must be mindful because we can find ourselves in an unhealthy place without joy. It is hard to be joyful about what we have if we are looking behind in regret over what we do not have. As the enemy tries to lead us down a negative path, we must resist his temptation. The Bible says that if we resist the enemy, he will flee.
Whenever we fall into a pit of regret, we must realize that we have landed in the enemy’s trap. Next, we should defeat the enemy by praying and praising God for the good He has brought to our lives despite our mistakes. If we praise God for being with us through our trials, we will find positivity, joy, and a reason to delight ourselves in God. We must rest because God is leading our lives, and we must always trust Him.
A Prayer to Deal With Feelings of Regret
The enemy will attack God’s children in any way he can. He likes to condemn us in our minds as he attempts to pull us away from praising God for our blessings. This week’s prayer reminds us of God’s goodness for our future. Let’s pray and ask God to help us so we don’t allow regret to steal our joy.
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Thank you Krystal for the inspiring post. I recently left a job of 16 years because of an unhealthy culture. I have no regrets. I don’t have a job but I am happier and more present than I have ever been. That is God at work. However I am having trouble not worrying about what God has in store for me. I know God has a plan for me and it will be better than I could ever hope for. I just find myself getting impatient. Your post has reminded me that I need to keep praying and trust in God’s timing and His will. Thanks again! Keep up the good work of spreading the word of the Lord.
Amy, I always love to hear from others. Doing a “new thing” is never easy, but you are right, trust God and pray. His plan will be so much better, but will most likely exercise your faith as it did mine. I will be praying for you. I can’t wait to hear what God sets on your heart. Be blessed.