Regret can be upsetting. If you have ever experienced this emotional pain, you will understand the sorrow of regret. If we allow it, regret has the power to destroy us. Yet, we have the power through the grace of God to overcome any evil emotion.
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
His Grace is sufficient
How can we let go of the sorrow of regret? This question is important because we often find ourselves in situations we wish we can undo, yet they keep living in us. These memories scar us deeply and we would love to let them go – yet they hold on like magnets. They’ll cause pain that wound us deeply and fracture our emotions.
It is also important because of the danger of this emotion. It can steal your joy and weaken your endurance. As we face this obstacle we must understand that only by God’s grace can we truly overcome it. It is not easy to let go of a thing that travels with you everywhere you go. Nonetheless, we must let go of yesterday.
When we keep going around the same mountain, and reliving the same events then what we are doing is confusing ourselves. This confusion is very dangerous in the hands of the enemy. It is a breeding ground for all sorts of evil.
Sorrow is dangerous in the hands of the enemy
The enemy will use our shortfalls to his advantage. After Jesus fasted 40 days and forty nights the Bible says He was hungry. The enemy wanted to use this to his advantage. The serpent said to Jesus ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.‘ Being in the Spirit Jesus replied to the devil “Man shall not live by bread alone.”
In this we see the strategy of satan. He attacks us when we are most vulnerable. This Scripture not only teaches us about satan’s strategy, but most importantly we see how Jesus responded. He responded with the Word of God. We can deduce two important lessons:
- satan attacks us when we are most vulnerable
- We must respond to satan’s trickery with the Word of God
Sorrow hurts, and it is the breeding ground of more pain
In the sorrow of regret we must be thankful that God has our backs
When we are vulnerable, God is most available. When our hearts are broken He is near to the broken hearted. Similarly, when we are wounded He binds our wounds. If you are sorrowful and living in regret, take heart and be encouraged. If you have faith as little as a mustard seed, by God’s grace you can get over the mountain of regret.
As Peter pledged to Jesus that he would never deny Him, Peter said : Lord, I am ready to go with You, both to prison and to death. Jesus replied to him ” I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me” After Peter made this pledge he denied Jesus three times. The Bible says that when Peter denied Christ he went out and wept bitterly.
Don't let your regrets stop you for moving forward
Imagine the sorrow that Peter went through when this happened. Peter was overtaken by the sorrow of regret. Yet, it is good for Peter that Jesus prayed for him that he might have stood firm and strong in this evil day.
After Jesus died and rose from the dead Mary and Salome went to His tomb only to find it was empty. An angel told them to go call the disciples – and Peter too. Even though the Bible didn’t say it but I believe the angel said ‘and Peter too’ because he knew that Peter was so sorrowful that he had given up on even his discipleship. Yet Jesus called Peter too.
Jesus is calling you too
In the sorrow of regret you should know that God has not forgotten you. Sometimes our wrong is so magnanimous that we think God is unable to save us. But His grace is sufficient and His mercy everlasting. Jesus Christ is mighty to save the most wretched and cruel sins.
The Bible says that Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows. Maybe you have done things you regret so badly, and you think that Jesus Christ has forgotten about you. But the Bible says that He has borne our sorrows. Now it’s our turn to let these sorrows go and run to Him.
Maybe someone has hurt you so badly that your sorrow has elevated to the highest degree. You too can take heart and be encouraged. Jesus not only prayed for Peter, but He also prayed for you and I. Don’t let your sorrows pin you down and knock you over. Arise from your low place and begin running after Christ.
In order to release your future you must let go of yesterday
To move on you must let go of yesterday. If you allow it, the past will paralyze you. Constant regret is a poison that will slowly kill you. In order for you to move on into the amazing future God had for you then you must let go of the past.
The past is already gone and you cannot change it no matter how hard you try. However, while you’re not able to change the past, you have the power through Christ to create an amazing future.
Imagine if Peter held on to the sorrow of the past. Would he have gone with the other disciples to meet Jesus? He most likely wouldn’t. But even after Peter denied Jesus, he went with the other disciples to meet Him. Peter had to let go in order to go on. You too must do the same. You must let go of whatever holds you back and you must run to Jesus.
I've had regrets too
I have had my own share of regrets. I have done things that I wished and wished I could undo. These things pinned me down for years, yet I’ve found that I am just hurting myself when I hold on to the sorrow of regret. It affected me in every area of my life, both physically and spiritually. It also held me back from moving forward.
This is why I am so passionate about imploring you to let go. You must let go because you must go on.
Identify with the role you played in your sorrow
Many times we blame others for our sorrow, but it’s fine time for us to take responsibility and move on. Regardless of the role others played, we had the option to not be a part of the whole event. Maybe we blame someone for passing us our first cup of wine because now we can’t stop drinking. But, when you were handed that cup, you took it, and you drank.
This means that you are responsible. This is the same with all other aspects of life. Whether sorrows from past relationships, or sorrows from the injustice of others. We always had a part to play.
On this basis we should acknowledge this part we played, accept that we went wrong, and then move on. It is easier to move on when we accept responsibility as opposed to blaming others. Those others might have gone on, but you hold to the sorrow of yesterday. May God grant you the power to accept the things you cannot change and change the things you can.
Concluding Thoughts
We have learnt that the sorrow of regret is a very dangerous thing. This sorrow, when entertained for too long, has the capacity to destroy us. Whether our sorrows stem from things we did, or something someone did, they are both sorrows and we must let go.
Thankfully, by the grace and power of Jesus Christ we can let go of our sorrows. Remember that even though your sorrows will make you most vulnerable, God’s love is available and can never fail. May you let go – and go on. God bless you.
